No Way Out
by tessinciucy
Summary: Sequel To Poisonous Path. When everything seems lost, when there's no way out, you may find help from unexpected sources, but mostly you have to find the strength inside yourself. More Densi-er than usual, so be warned ;)
1. Chapter 1

And here I am again. This is my new story which is the sequel to Posionous Path. I warmly advice you to read that one before, but I think you can easily follow this as well without doing it.

Usual disclaimers apply here, I don't own any of the characters of NCIS LA, but I simply like to play with them.

English is not my first language, so please forgive the millions of mistakes you will find here. They are all mine... I just hope that anyone won't be offended because of them.

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No Way Out - Chapter 1

A coffin. She couldn't believe she was in this situation, closed in a coffin, almost unable to breathe with her partner's body pressed to hers so tightly, their faces just few inches apart. Moving was simply impossible.

"Deeks" she called but he didn't answer her, probably still out after the big blow he received to the back of his head "Come on Deeks… wake up" she repeated.

This time Kensi received a moan as an answer… good he was still with her. She just hoped he was not badly hurt and that he didn't have a concussion. In the situation they were at the moment, that would be very bad, not to mention, awful.

"Right, perfect… this is absolutely great" she muttered a bit frustrated as she tried to find a more comfortable position in the tight space.

"Are you enjoying my closeness so much, partner?" Deeks' slurred voice reached her ears and in spite of the snarky comment, she was glad to see that he was finally conscious.

"You're impossible. You've just woken up after I don't know how long, after being knocked out by someone who used your head as a baseball, we're locked in a coffin… and this is all you have to say? Seriously, Deeks… you're sick…" Kensi scolded him.

"Well, actually I… I think I might get sick if this thing won't stop rolling…" he stated gravely.

He was right; they were in a coffin that had been probably put in a van or a hearse that was driving on a very uneven road. They could feel every bump on every part of their bodies.

"Deeks, are you serious? You're not going to throw up on me… that would be more than awful!" she wondered in a mix of concern and worry.

"I can feel the love Fern! I might have a concussion or worse and you're worrying about ruining your shirt…"

"Well, I think I'm more worried about the stench…" she remarked wittily, smiling at the fact that as long as he was whining and joking, she knew he was ok. With Deeks you should start to get worried when he didn't complain "I don't know if you realize where we are…"

"And where exactly are we? But please don't say in a coffin… because even if I can't see anything… I can see we're stuck into one…" his voice was a bit slurred, but it was understandable considering the situation.

"Are you sure you don't have a concussion? Because I think you lost completely the ability of using the little bit of brain you had… Have you understood a word of what you said?" Kensi couldn't believe they were bickering, again, in spite of the predicament they found themselves in. Hell, they were closed in a damn coffin without knowing whether they will get out of it or not… well, mostly whether they will get out of it alive or not, but still they were bantering and teasing each other.

Deeks remained silent for a moment and immediately an alarm bell started ringing in Kensi's head "Deeks?" she called his name, bust still no answer "Deeks, come on… if this is a joke, it's a very bad one…"

"Not a joke Kens… I… I needed to close my eyes for a moment" his voice seemed weaker than before.

"You really have a concussion, don't you?" it wasn't a question, just a statement of the obvious "Come on Deeks, tell me how you're feeling…" she wondered, truly concerned.

"Oh, I'm good… but it doesn't matter too much. If we won't get out of here, we'll be dead soon. Maybe if I… did it before you, you'd have a better chance of survival…" there wasn't any trace of joke in his tone now, just a deep sorrow that melted her heart.

"Hey, no one is going to die here" she told him, wanting so badly to be able to look into his eyes, to look straight at him, but she couldn't move a single muscle and this made her even madder "The guys will find us… and they'll get us out of this situation"

"Kensi, they don't even know we're missing!"

"Ok, Deeks… now I'm tired of this attitude! Where's my partner? What did you do to him?" she yelled exasperated.

Her outburst made him laugh, hard "God, I'd pay to see you right now… you're incredibly sexy when you get mad"

Kensi rolled her eyes "Please tell me that all of this was not just a way to get me mad…"

"No… I… I was serious, but I got your point, sorry… it's just that, I'm starting to have trouble breathing and well… after…" he paused, as his mind was wandering miles away from here "Oh hell… I hate the feeling, that's it…"

Stupid!, she silently told herself, how couldn't she think about it sooner? This whole situation was bad for her, but for sure it was worse for him, after everything happened to him "Deeks… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have joked about this"

"It's not your fault Kensi… but, it's ok. I… I'm good…" Deeks' voice was nothing more than a whisper.

Kensi could feel his troubled breath on her face, sensing his unmistakable scent filling her nostrils as her whole body started to react to his proximity, to his closeness. They were lying on their sides, their faces so close that their noses grazed each other every time they moved, their arms ran along their chests, that were brushing at every attempt of shifting into another position. They were so tightly pressed that they could feel each other heartbeat.

"How are you really doing, Deeks?" she asked again as his warm breath caressed her face.

"I have already told you… I'm good" he replied, swallowing hard. He didn't want to show his discomfort, his physical weakness, but it was hard. Actually controlling himself was even harder, feeling the curves of her body grazing his muscles. Every time she did even the smallest movement, he felt like an electric shock was running through his veins and his fingers twitched as they had a life on their own, like they wanted to dance on her skin. _Oh God, I'm going insane_, he thought, imperceptibly shaking his head, to clear his mind, regretting it though, when the pain exploded in his brain "Oh crap, no!" he cried out.

"Deeks, what's up?" Kensi could hear from the desperate note in his voice, that something was wrong, very wrong with him.

"Kensi… I… I think I'm going to get sick…" he muttered between ragged breaths.

"But sick as you had enough of being stuck in here or sick as you're going to throw up?" there was a hint of horror in her tone at the idea.

"Sick as I've got a concussion and I don't know how long I can hold myself together" he coughed a little and he felt her body shaking in unison with his.

"Oh crap, no!" Kensi repeated Deeks' words "Ok, let's concentrate on something else… on something good…"

"Sorry, but I find it hard to think right now…"

"Only right now?" she wondered ironically, but his answer to her joke was not what she wanted to hear. He started coughing again and as a reaction she felt her chest being constricted even more "Ok, ok… I'm sorry… Yeah, the beach! Think about the beach… I know it relaxes you…"

Images of his favorite surfing spot flashed in front of his eyes, he could almost hear the sound of the waves crashing on the beach, the echoes of the seagulls flying over the ocean… his nostrils were permeated with the distinct scent of the salt water. His heartbeat slowed and he calmed down. Taking a deep breath, he said "Thank you, Kensi"

She sighed heavily, almost grinning "Glad it worked… I don't want to think what could have happened if it didn't…"

Deeks chuckled and doing so, his lips moved dangerously close to hers, almost touching "Kensi…" he whispered softly.

Her body reacted to this and cold, pleasured shivers ran down her spine. It was so wrong… she should not enjoy this moment, she should stay professional, trying to think about a way to get them out of here, but her body was not listening to her mind. She knew that she couldn't control herself anymore… that she had to do something or she would go crazy, that she had to… she couldn't finish her thought because his lips found hers again and this time there was nothing or no one to stop them. This time they let go all of their restraints as their mouths found each other… they kissed.

Kensi felt his curious tongue moving inside her mouth, playing with hers and her back arched, as much as the tight space allowed her, unable to control her body anymore. An intense, hot sensation engulfed her and all of her muscles, all of nerves were shaking uncontrollably. When their mouths broke apart, she moaned, lifting her head enough for him to kiss her on her neck.

Deeks' body was tense as a violin chord. He wanted to be able to move his hands, to touch her skin, to trace every line of her gorgeous figure, but since it was impossible he used the only things he could actually move… his mouth and his tongue. He could feel her reacting to his kisses, with a pleasured moan or with a shiver and his own body acted consequently…

"Deeks" she murmured as her own mouth find his once again, as her tongue started doing circles, playing with his, driving him crazy.

He had never experienced anything like this, they were almost deprived of all of their senses, closed as they were in the tight space, almost unable to move, but it was like an electrical discharge had ran through his entire body, giving him an intense pleasure "Kensi…" he whispered again.

Then out of nowhere, something happened. The van or whatever vehicle the coffin was on, stopped abruptly. They could hear men screaming in distance and what it looked like some gunshots.

"What do you think is happening?" Deeks asked, panting as he tried to regain control of his whole body. His head was screaming in pain now as his concussion showed up in full force.

"I don't know…" Kensi said, her heart was beating wildly in her chest, for what had just happened between them and for the uncertainty of their position "But from the sound of it, it doesn't seem good…"

The gunshots ceased, but not the screams. They heard the noise of a door being opened and then, someone working on the coffin, trying to open it as well.

"I think we're going to find out about our fate" he stated trying to hide his concern.

"Deeks, I…" she wanted to tell him hundreds of things, but her throat was dry, her blood pounding in her ears as if her heart was going to explode in her chest. Before she could add something else, the coffin opened and an intense light blinded them…

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I know, I know... it's short, but... what do you think? Is it worth a try?

Your opinions, good or bad are always appreciated. Thanks in advance.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to all spent some time reading, leaving a review or alerting this story. It really means a lot to me.

Time to find out what happened to Kensi and Deeks now...

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No Way Out - Chapter 2

"Well, well, well… isn't this a sight for my old eyes?" a voice said, but they couldn't focus on the face of the man. Their eyes were still adjusting to the sudden light after spending so much time in the dark.

Kensi blinked repeatedly until her vision cleared "Callen?!" she wondered as she felt a couple of strong arms helping her to out of the coffin. When her feet touched the ground, her legs buckled and only Sam's support prevented her from falling "What are you doing here? How… how did you find us?"

"Well, Eric caught a signal from the GPS on Deeks' phone, it was just a brief second, but enough to get a location" the ex-Seal explained smiling, seeing that his friends were more or less unscathed.

"Speaking of Deeks…" the cop said, groaning as he sat up. Before he could even attempt to get out of the coffin, his partner stopped him.

"Don't you even think about it, Shaggy boy…" she told him, before turning to face the two senior agents "He's got a concussion and probably a lump at the back of his head. One of the bad guys hit him with a baseball bat"

"I'm perfectly fine" Deeks was finally standing on his feet, but he couldn't go on talking. His head started spinning and a second later he found himself on his knees, throwing up the remains of his last meal.

"Looks perfectly fine to me" Callen couldn't resist teasing him.

Kensi knelt beside him, leaning a hand on his back, making soothing circles to make him relax "Hey, how are you doing?" she asked kindly, in a sweet tone, surprising a little the two senior agents who stopped immediately making fun of the blond detective seeing how worried she was.

"I'm calling an ambulance" Sam took out his phone and dialed 911 "I think your head is not as tough as we all imagined"

The cop wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt and put himself into a sitting position "No, I'm fine… really. Just give me five minutes and I'll feel even better"

Callen's phone rang and a big smile curved his lips when he heard the voice on the other side of the conversation "Deeks, for you"

Puzzled Deeks took the phone from Callens' hand, seeing him holding barely a laugh "Deeks" he said.

"Mr. Deeks, I warmly suggest you to take a trip to the hospital to be checked out or my letter opener will find a better use"

"But Hetty… I said I'm…"

"Mr. Deeks, wasn't I clear enough?" the Operations Manager's voice was at the same time calming but extremely convincing "I will see you tomorrow morning when you'll fill your report about what happened today. Good night, Mr. Deeks"

When he gave the phone back to Callen, his three teammates burst out laughing.

"Oh.. funny… very funny…" he shook his head to show his disappointment when a new wave of nausea hit him even harder and he started retching again.

"That ambulance will never arrive soon enough" the blue eyed team leader smirked cunningly, then speaking directly to Kensi, he tilted his head "Now… why did you go to check on the funeral home without letting us know? You've been lucky today…"

"And you call this lucky?" came the cop's weak remark.

"I'm serious here… you could have been killed today!" Callen shut him up, trying to control his anger "It was simply stupid!"

"I know, we're sorry… but there was no time, we chased the suspect out of that bar and before we realized it, we were outside the funeral home and a minute later… we were inside the coffin" the female agent explained, sounding pretty guilty.

"And you forgot to tell them about Joe DiMaggio…" Deeks massaged the back of his head feeling the lump pulsing and becoming even bigger.

She rolled her eyes at him before going on "But what exactly happened here?"

"It's a long story…" Sam said flashing a dimpled smile "We found a lead, we followed it… then we found you and save you both" he gave his partner a high five, but in effect the story was a bit more complicated.

Everything had started the day before when the team had been called together in Ops to discuss the case of the sudden disappearance of First Class, Petty Officer Mark Sherman after his ship docked the previous night. No one had seen him after he put a foot on dry land, not even his wife and daughter who were waiting for him at home.

Sherman was the Ship's communication officer and it seemed that he was generally well-liked, apparently he never had an argument with anyone or anyone had something bad to say about him. For this reason the fact that he was missing was even more strange.

Callen and Sam had won again the number game and they chose to check on the ship while Kensi and Deeks were sent to check on a bar Sherman would frequent when he was in town and where he said he was heading before going home after docking. Once they got there, the bartender easily recognized Sherman and confirmed that the Petty Officer had been there the night he disappeared. He added that he saw Sherman leaving with a man giving a detailed description of the man himself.

Deeks and Kensi were contacting Ops when they literally crashed against their suspect who ran away, so they started chasing him. Too bad the man in question, managed to escape driving the van of a funeral home, but they didn't give up and followed him to its destination. The moment they got out of the car, they both felt that something was out of place and both their instincts kicked in. A second too late though. Someone, coming out of an hidden spot, hit the cop with a baseball bat, sending him unconscious to the ground. Kensi wanted to check on her partner but the barrel of a gun on her back prevented her from doing it.

Five minutes later they were inside the coffin.

"Come on Sam… don't you think we deserve something more?" the cop protested still sitting on the ground, unable even to attempt standing.

"We found out at the ship, that Sherman was very nervous during the last trip and that, on the contrary to his usual duties, he had asked to do a lot of night shifts. So feeling that the man was hiding something, we asked Nell and Eric to check on the communications registered during Sherman's shifts. At first they didn't find anything out of place, but then Eric retrieved the conversations our missing Petty Officer had deleted. Well…" Callen paused, his lips curled into a cunning grin "…it turned out that Sherman had a double life. He had fallen in love with a woman during one of his trips… a woman who wasn't anyone other than Mario Vega's daughter"

"Mario Vega… as the Mario Vega?" Deeks' jaw dropped hearing the name. The man was one of the most famous drug smugglers in Los Angeles, feared by everyone.

"Exactly. Ok long story short" Sam intervened seeing that the cop was not going to keep himself together much longer "It seems that Sherman used his communication's skills to finalize some shipments… boarding the drugs with goods the Ship needed… The funeral home was just a cover for a bigger traffic, they used the coffins to transport the drug all around the State…"

"And where is our dear Sherman now?" Kensi wondered as her eyes stopped on her partner seeing his clear discomfort.

"He's been found dead, this morning… along with Vega's daughter. They've been executed… I bet they tried to start their own business and Mario Vega didn't like it too much…" Callen said gravely.

The sound of sirens approaching reached their ears "About time" the female agent stated relieved, she was starting to worry for Deeks who was pale like a ghost, unable to stay awake.

Both Sam and Callen studied her behavior, noticing that there was something different, there was a different light in her eyes as she watched her partner "Kensi you can go with him to the hospital, Sam and I will finish here, then we'll take your car there…"

"Perfect" she simply said.

"But I don't need to go to the hospital" protested the cop attempting to stand up only to end in his partner's arms.

"Oh, yes… I can see that…" Kensi's expression didn't have any trace of a joke, she was extremely serious. Not to mention that she could still feel tingles in her whole body when she touched him, when her hands were on him. She looked at him, straight in the eyes, realizing that he was staring at her, passing his tongue over his lips… nervously.

"I'm… good, Kensi…" he swallowed hard, hoping that the two senior agents didn't notice that his uneasiness wasn't due to his head injury, but to his partner's closeness.

The paramedics arrived and following Sam's lead, started checking on Deeks, who, in spite of his protests, was hauled to the ambulance to be transported to the hospital. Kensi jumped into the vehicle, never leaving his side.

The cop was starting to feel very tired and he was losing his battle with consciousness, but he was glad of her presence beside him.

"Just rest, Deeks… I'll be here" she told him, taking his hand in hers.

"We… we need to talk Kens…" he murmured, fighting his heavy eyelids "I… I don't want you to…"

"Sshhhtt" she silenced him, sweetly stroking his hair "There will be time to do that. Now, you need to rest…" she felt him squeezing her hand, before he succumbed to darkness "Just rest" she repeated "I won't go anywhere…"

* * *

In spite of Deeks' protest, the doctors decided to keep him overnight, head injuries were nasty and they wanted to be safe he didn't have unexpected consequences.

"I still think I should go home, not spending the night here!" he protested lying in bed.

"Deeks, stop complaining! The doctor said you have a bad concussion, that the blow you received was… hard enough to knock you out for a day…" Kensi scolded him, almost treating him like a child "You have to thank that thick head of yours that your injuries aren't worse!"

"Exactly! Since I have this thick head and that I didn't get it worse… I can go home and sleep in my bed! This one is… too hard and the sheets are scraping my delicate skin" he insisted, but a cold glare from Sam stopped him from going on.

"Deeks, you're staying overnight. End of discussion…" Callen told him firmly "Consider it an order… coming from Hetty, not from me!"

"Oh heck, you're not fair Callen!"

The blue eyed team leader simply lifted his eyebrow, skeptically.

"Come on G, we better go now, so he'll finally stop whining and maybe he'll get some rest" the ex-Seal patted his partner's shoulder, then turning his attention to Kensi, he added "Your car is in the parking lot, are you ok driving home? I can give you a lift if you…"

She interrupted him, smiling kindly "It's ok, Sam. I am not injured at all… I can drive myself home" her eyes moved to her partner "I… I'll keep him company a little while longer than I'll go get some sleep myself"

Once again Callen's scrutinizing eyes fell on his two younger teammates, sensing a little bit of uneasiness between them. Yes, something definitely happened while they were inside that coffin "Just remember to go home and get some rest, Hetty's threat applies to you too"

"Don't worry… I'll make sure she'll leave soon…" Deeks answered for her, receiving a cold glance from his partner.

"Ok, you two… have a good night and if you need any kind of help, just give us a shout" Sam winked, before moving towards the door, followed by his partner.

"Night guys" they both said in unison before closing the door behind them.

Silence fell on the room, Deeks bowed his head pretending to set the sheets, while Kensi observed him intently, biting her lips nervously.

"So, do you really want me to leave?" she started, but there was no anger in her words.

The cop's blue eyes locked on hers, going deeply into her soul, making her shudder. He had this effect on her when she looked at her like this… fortunately she was sitting in the chair because she was sure that her legs would have failed her if she was standing.

"Kensi, I… about what happened, I… I don't know how…" he muttered, unable to find the best way to express his overwhelming feelings.

"Do you… do you regret it?" she simply asked, going straight to the point. She was trying to appear firm and determined, but deep inside she was shaking, afraid of his answer.

For an endless moment, Deeks simply stared at her, like he was studying her reaction, her body language "No, not a single bit of it…"

His voice had once again that darn mellow note that she couldn't resist. She took his hand in her, making circles with her thumb on its back "Neither do I…"

"Good" he affirmed.

"Yeah… good…" she echoed, unable to break the contact with him, afraid of letting him go.

Silence fell again between them and this time it was the cop who broke it "So… what now? I…" he wanted to tell her hundreds of things, he wanted to let her know that this was something he had wanted to do for ages, that she was the most precious thing he had ever had in his life, but words died in his throat as he couldn't take his blue eyes away from her. His heart was running a marathon and he could feel a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.

"I don't know, Deeks… we're partners, we have a dangerous job and I…" she hesitated, knowing very well that what she was telling him was not what he wanted to hear… hell it was not even what she really wanted to tell him!

"Oh hell to that…" with a sudden move, Deeks put himself into a sitting position, forgetting about the pain exploding in his head and pulled her closer, capturing her lips in a kiss. His arms slid on her back, one hand making circles on it, the other ran through her hair.

Kensi was taken by surprise at first, but once his soft lips landed on hers, she couldn't contain herself anymore. She kissed him back, with passion as her hands played with his hair… man, it felt so good, she had always wondered how touching him would feel, what his hair felt like… and God it felt so good! When she was completely out of breath, she broke apart, but they were not able to stay too far away from each other. Her forehead rested on his, as she could sense his own breath, the heat emanating from his body.

"Wow, that was intense" he told her, smiling softly, passing the back of his hand over her cheek, stopping on her mouth, teasing her with this simple gesture.

"I have to say, that you… surprised me, Mr. Deeks" she replied mocking him, cupping his face and kissing him gently. First on his nose, then on his cheeks… then on his mouth "And having the use of my hands this time was a bonus…"

"Mmmm I like naughty Kensi…" he purred, flashing one of his infamous grins "Now wait until I show you what Naughty Marty can do…" he kissed her again, his tongue found its way to her mouth this time. She reacted playing with hers as well… it was like a game for them, a game they both enjoyed very much.

"Maybe Naughty Marty should get some rest…" Kensi told him, when they separated, both needing some air "You can't keep your eyes open" she caressed his clearly tired face "Seriously Deeks, the doc said it was a very heavy blow…" and with that she guided his head to the pillow.

He sank into it as tiredness hit him in full force, he didn't even know he was so tired thanks to adrenaline pumping in his blood… thanks to her presence beside him "You should go home and get some rest as well… it was bad for you too"

Kensi smiled cunningly, caressing his hair and his face "I'm not the one with a big bump on my head and a bad concussion… if I remember correctly" then, pulling the chair closer to the bed and holding tightly his hand, she added "I… I will stay here until you'll fall asleep, then I'll go home…"

"Thank you" he said, but with a sad note in his voice that unsettled her.

"Hey, what's up?" she wondered puzzled.

"I… it's been so long since… since someone cared about me, since I… had someone in my life I truly care about …" he paused sighing heavily "I… You're important to me Kensi, you're not… just some random girl… I…"

She put a finger on his mouth, preventing him from going on "I know Deeks. I know you…" she squeezed his hand to make him aware that she truly knew, that she knew that in spite of all the talking, it had been so long he had gone out with a girl… that it had been always a façade. She knew he was caring and gentle… that he was Deeks. This was everything she wanted to know… he was everything she wanted, period "…I don't know where this thing will take us, but… this is everything I want, everything I longed for too long..." Kensi was shocked when she saw the tears forming in his eyes "Hey… if I knew I had this effect on you, I would have left you in that coffin!"

"You know how special you are Kensi Marie Blye?" he took her hand towards his lips, kissing it gently.

She blushed, bowing her head "Now sleep Deeks, you truly need it. You're starting to speaking nonsense…"

"Just stating the truth…" he smirked cunningly, then his expression became serious and his voice lower "Look Kensi, I… I promise you I… I won't push you, I will take things slowly… I will…"

She interrupted him again "See? Told you you're speaking nonsense" her hand moved to his face, feeling his stubble under her fingers "We'll just follow the wave… until this thing won't interfere with our job or Hetty will kill us"

An horrified mask appeared on his face "Are you planning on telling Hetty? Are you sure? I mean…"

"Deeks, she's Hetty! She knows everything! She will find out the moment we'll put a foot in the Mission…" Kensi stated trying to stay calm, but it was hard.

"Oh well… I'm so dead… because if Hetty knows, then Callen and Sam know too… maybe…" he looked at her with a terrified expression "…maybe it would have been better if I died in that coffin, which is an awkward thought… I mean seriously dying in a coffin? Can you imagine the jokes?"

"Deeks…"

"I can see them making a fool of me…" he continued talking.

"Deeks…"

"Again this is weird because if I was dead, they would not be able to talk to me… so…"

"Deeks! Shut up!" Kensi almost yelled exasperated, then softening her tone and caressing his face, she added "It's going to be fine… we're going to be fine" her smile made him feel better, not to mention sent his heart to go boom.

Deeks couldn't contain the urge to kiss her and so he did it… again, even more passionately than before.

"What was that for?" she wondered amused when his lips released her.

"Did I need a special reason to kiss the most important person of my life?" he said that like it was the most normal thing to say, without any hint of regret or forcing… it was the way he truly felt and he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

Kensi punched his shoulder, lightly, smiling. She was astonished by his affection, by the way he was so open to her and she could be only happy and proud "Get some sleep Deeks… tomorrow you'll have an interesting report to write"

"Really? I wonder what would happen if I had to write every little detail of what happened today…" he grinned as his tongue danced on his lips.

"Deeks!"

He laughed out loud "I was joking, Fern…" his voice was all of the sudden too tired "I will never tell anyone how much you enjoyed my kisses…" he slurred, closing his eyes and falling asleep in a blink of an eye.

Kensi shook her head, smiling softly. This was Deeks, this was the way he was, but she will never change him for anything in the whole world "Good night, Deeks" she told him as she tenderly placed a sweet kiss on his forehead.

She sat back in the chair, waiting to see if he would wake up, when she was sure he was sleeping tightly, she got up and left… still smiling.

* * *

Ok, I know... this was a bit cheesy, but if you know me just a little, you can imagine things can't go on like this forever.

Please, as always, I really like to know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

New chapter, I hope you enjoy it...

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 3

The morning after Kensi passed by Deeks' house retrieving some clean clothes and then she went to pick him up at the hospital. She was happy to see him standing impatiently, waiting for her.

A big smile, curved his lips when he saw her stepping through the door "Good morning Sunshine" he joked, smirking cunningly.

She tilted her head, still not used to this new level of their partnership… not that she didn't enjoy it, of course she was glowing with happiness, but sometimes it seemed still so strange that they had finally admitted what they felt for each other. It took them a close-to-death situation to do that… well, actually two close-to-death situations, because she had realized that she couldn't live without him the day she had found him floating face down in that pool… in that moment her whole world had gone into pieces. Six months had passed from that day, six months in which they danced around each other, bantering and teasing each other even more… until yesterday… until they found themselves so close that they couldn't deny their feelings anymore "Good morning, Deeks" she said, softly.

"Liking what you see?" he approached her, kissing her on the lips.

"I like to see you're standing without turning into a green blob…" she put the bag she was carrying on the floor and encircled his waist with her arms "I like that that blow on your head didn't make you forget about me…"

"Oh now you're wounding me, Fern… how could I forget about you?"

She punched him, again, on his shoulder "Stop calling me Fern…!"

"So… which name do you prefer? Sweetpie, Sugarbear, Honey… Miss Piggy?" he jumped backwards expecting her to hit him again.

"You're impossible!" she rolled her eyes, breaking away from him.

"Oh I know… I'm impossible to resist…" he said that with such a cute expression that Kensi couldn't resist. She pulled him towards her and kissed him, cupping his face "Oh this is the kind of Good Morning I love…"

"Come on Lover Boy, I brought you some fresh clothes" she picked up the bag from the ground and tossed it to him "You have five minutes… the guys are waiting for us"

Deeks took the bag and started dressing, first pulling on his jeans and then, after removing the hospital gown, he put on his shirt. He did it so nonchalantly, with deliberated slowness when he noticed Kensi peeking at his bare chest. Silently he grinned, pleased "I'm good now..."

"I was wrong" she told him, pretending to be very mad "You're not impossible… you're absolutely unbearable!"

He moved closer, smiling "Isn't it why you love me so much?"

Kensi froze at his question. Did she love him? Did she really love him? Her eyes locked on his, seeing the fire burning inside of them, seeing his passion… his love. Yes… she loved him, she loved him so much. She didn't say anything… simply she planted a kiss on his mouth.

For a moment he was worried about her expression, about the way she had reacted at his words, but when her lips touched him, he felt something different, this kiss was different… it was full of passion, of desire, but mostly it was full of love… love for him. In that moment, his heart was ready to explode and he had to control himself, because his whole body wanted only one thing. He wanted her… now.

Kensi looked at him, knowing he had understood… with that kiss they had told each other everything, without using a single word "We better go now…"

The drive towards the Mission was spent in peaceful silence, they didn't need to say anything, but the closer they got, the more nervous they became.

"Deeks, look… don't misunderstand me, but… maybe it's better if we…"

"If we keep it quiet for a while…" he finished for her.

"Yeah" she felt relieved that he thought exactly the same, that he wanted the same thing she wanted "We can give ourselves some time… don't you think?"

"Let's get adjusted… there will be time to explain ourselves…" he sounded a little more relaxed hearing her point of view, which was exactly what he thought "Do… do you think it will work?"

"We have to let it work… for a while, at least… are you ok with this? I mean, I don't want you to think that I'm ashamed of you that I…"

It was his turn to silence her, putting his fingers on her lips "It's ok, Kens… I know…" he smiled sincerely "Just remember not to call me Naughty Marty"

As expected another punch was delivered to his shoulder "You deserved it"

"Really? Oh I love this woman…" he cried out theatrically before they both burst out laughing, satisfied of their decision.

When they walked through the door of the Mission, they acted like they usually did, not to arouse any suspects.

"I told you to stop at the little cafe at the corner… but no, he wanted his favorite coffee. Too bad, the place was closed for renovations!" Kensi was waving her hands in the air, frustrated… well actually she was not faking her disappointment because of the lack of sugar.

"Oh come on Kensi! I told you I am sorry, what do I have to do to set things straight with you?" Deeks was practically begging her to look at him, to forgive him for his mistake. Deep inside himself, he was very glad they were such great undercover operatives. Their little act was working perfectly.

"G, you owe me twenty bucks…" Sam extended his hand waiting for his partner to give him some money.

"Hey, you said she would want to kill him after two minutes…" Callen protested, hands on his waist.

"Kensi, do you want to kill him?" the ex-Seal turned to face Kensi, giving her a full dimpled smile.

She cast a glare at her partner, then she replied firmly "Of course I do!"

"Twenty bucks, G!"

"Really? Betting on us?" Deeks narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"No… we bet on you… actually" the team leader chuckled, unable to hold the laugh anymore "We knew that after yesterday, she wouldn't have resisted too long before killing you…"

"Princess? Do you really want to kill me? I'm so wounded here…" the cop once again was facing his partner, trying to hide his true sentiments towards her.

"Deeks… call me Princess just one more time and you are really dead!" she replied, firmly, but her lips curved into a little grin.

A big laugh exploded in the bullpen right when Hetty decided to show up "I see you are all in good mood this morning" she greeted them.

"Not so sure about Kensi being in good mood" the cop remarked gravely, getting just another light punch from his partner.

"I see you're recovered Mr. Deeks… and I hope you're recovered enough to start writing your report about your… experience" the Operations Manager told him, smiling cunningly "I'm looking forward reading it, I think it will be interesting.

Deeks froze for a moment, his eyes looked for Kensi's. He swallowed hard. Did Hetty know about them? No… it was impossible, how could she… "It was not so… interesting, I swear. I was feeling a bit too much constricted in there with my dear partner who was occupying almost all the space… ouch!" another punch "Come on Kensi… really? This is getting too old!"

"This will teach you to shut up" she cast him an horrified glance, Hetty's word had put her on alert too.

"Damn G, I would have died to be a fly to see them in that coffin… that would have been highly entertaining!" Sam was barely holding his laughs.

"Sam, just ponder carefully what you desire… you're talking about being closed in a confined space with Mr. I-won't-shut-up-for-a-second here…" Callen put a comforting hand on his partner's shoulder.

The ex-Seal stopped for a second, reflecting on his friend's word "Bbbrr… you're right. The thought just gave me cold shivers…"

"Ahah… very funny. You two are very funny guys…" the cop mocked them, glad that the attention had moved a little further from the report he had to write.

"Miss Blye, I'm be waiting for your report as well" Hetty continued calmly.

Kensi felt her throat becoming suddenly dry "Hetty I…"

"And Mr. Hanna, Mr. Callen I think you have to do the same" the Operations Manager's smile grew even more, getting wider.

The last comment relaxed both Kensi and Deeks, maybe they were wrong, Hetty didn't know about them… maybe they were safe for a while.

"Ok, I leave you all to your paperwork" and with that the diminutive woman was gone.

"Do we really have to?" the cop wondered a bit annoyed.

"Of course you have to, Mr. Deeks!" Hetty's voice resounded loud and clear even if she was out of his sight.

"Aaahhhgg, did she have to do that all the time?" Deeks insisted, very frustrated.

"I'm simply doing my job, Mr. Deeks… just my job"

The blond cop was making an attempt to reply again when Kensi's glare stopped him.

"You better think about going on talking, Deeks…" she told him smiling "…before she will really use that letter opener on you. I saw her polishing it the other day"

"Ah hell…" and with that Deeks walked to his desk "Gah…"

Sam and Callen chuckled amused, before doing that themselves.

* * *

Two hours later Deeks was starting to feel a bit tired, but mostly he was getting restless. He was bored of writing and his head was pounding a little. He stretched his neck, massaging it and his movements were immediately noticed by Kensi who was observing him with a little bit of concern.

She cast him a glance, silently asking how he was doing, but he simply rolled his eyes, hoping she understood that he was ok and that she was too protective towards him.

Callen caught the silent exchange between his two younger teammates, narrowing his eyes, puzzled "You know, you two are crazy…" he started getting up to stretch his legs "Your silence is deafening! It would be less disturbing if you were actually shouting at each other!"

Deeks looked at Kensi confused as much as she was "Sorry man, but I don't get you…"

"You've been silently talking to each other for almost fifteen minutes and I have to say it's pretty disturbing!" Sam intervened, voicing his partner's concern.

"We were not… silently talking" protested Kensi, shaking her head at the comment.

"Yeah, you're right" Callen pointed out trying to remain serious, barely making it though "You were silently shouting at each other!"

"No… we were just…" a whistle coming from the top of the stairs prevented Deeks from going on excusing himself and his partner.

"Guys… Ops… now…" Eric said shortly, moving away towards the control room.

"Did you see that?" Sam wondered curiously "Was it Eric or his twin? Because it didn't look like him…"

"Eric's twin? Why didn't I know anything about this?" the blond cop got up from his chair and right when he was passing by his partner, she looked at him with a scolding glare.

"Really Deeks? Are you an idiot or… you just pretend to be an idiot?" Kensi said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Now you're wounding me again, Fern…" he moved closer to her, their shoulders brushing "...you know I'm your idiot" he whispered when Callen and Sam were already far ahead of them and they couldn't hear him.

This time Kensi smiled, bowing her head "I wonder where I lost my mind…"

"Hey you two, move your feet" the ex-Seal exhorted them from the top of the stairs.

"We're coming mum, we're coming" the cop replied climbing up the stairs two steps at once.

When they were all in Ops, Hetty beckoned to Eric who started describing the new case "This is Roger Davidson, a civilian analyst based on Camp Pendleton as a consultant on HSE, Health, Safe and Environment. He has been found dead in his house this early morning" the tech worked on his pad and a couple of pictures appeared on screen. It was not a great sight for the eyes, but no one blinked, remaining focused on the job. The man had been tied to a chair, he was naked and all over his body there were signs of a severe beating "His wife was out of the city to meet with her parents, when she came home today, she found him like this, already dead"

"He has been tortured… and whoever did it, didn't care too much about killing him, not at all" Sam spoke with a low voice, like he was reflecting more than talking to the others.

"Do we have an idea if he was working on something special or… if he was involved in some special project? Because fierceness like this implies that they wanted something very badly from him, something he was not willing to give them, according to the amount of injuries on Davidson's body" Callen was looking at the pictures with scrutinizing eyes, searching for something that could give him an indication of whoever might have killed the analyst, without luck though.

"Nothing top secret and no new projects. He was the person in charge of waste disposal, well actually of every kind of… waste disposal, from common trash to military equipment" Nell explained as other pictures showed up on screen "According to his direct superior, Captain Evan Cortez, this is the last documents and papers Davidson filled yesterday, nothing too exciting…"

"Oh wow… organic disposal? Like…" Deeks was stopped by six pairs of eyes glaring at him "Ok, ok… I got it. I… shut up…"

"Thank you Mr. Deeks, we all appreciate your thoughtful sentiment towards us" Hetty stared at him, nodding, causing the blond detective to chuckle, almost amused "Now, I think it's wise for Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna to go to Camp Pendleton and spoke with Captain Cortez, while Miss Blye and Mr. Deeks can go check the crime scene… LAPD is already there"

"Wow Deeks, you have the chance to show us your unquestionable liaison's skills" Sam stared at the cop with a smirk planted on his face.

"You're just envious Sam…" winked Deeks. He had always joked about his almost complete inability of doing what Hetty had hired him to do, but deep inside himself, he hated it, mostly because he was aware of how little respect LAPD, or part of LAPD at least, gave him.

Kensi caught a glimpse of the shadow that passed through his blue eyes, knowing that even if he played around a lot about this liaison's situation, it affected him, more than he wanted to let the others know. Too bad for him, that she could read him so well. She stared at him a little while longer, then she decided to talk about this with him later, when they were alone; she didn't like seeing him sad in general, but even more because of this. Kensi knew how much he was proud of being a cop… that it was a part of who he was. Feeling that he was not respected, not well accepted by other cops was a source of disappointment and deep sorrow.

"Envious of you? Oh please God save me!" the ex-Seal went on.

"Come on Sam, you're almost envious of my skills as much as you are of my Shaggy hair…" the cop teased the big man "I know you always wanted to be a Scooby Doo character"

The last remark brought a big smile on everyone's lips, even Hetty couldn't suppress an amused chuckle.

"Oh God, Sam… Deeks knows your most intimate secret!" Callen was laughing so hard at the idea of his partner in Fred's clothes and haircut.

"Do I? Because seriously, I was just guessing…" the cop stopped talking when he saw Sam's incinerating look fixed on him, but risking his own safety, he burst out laughing "Oh this is too good to be true! Simply too good"

At Deeks' reaction, even the big man couldn't resist and smiled "One of these days, I'm going to kill you Deeks…"

"You mean, that I'm not going to die today?" Deeks narrowed his eyes suspiciously "Wow, two near death experiences in two days… my lucky star is shining on me"

Hetty pretended to cough so everyone in the room turned to face her "I think you all have some work to do, if you have finished making a fool of one another"

"Sorry Hetty, but mocking Deeks is always too easy… like stealing candy from a baby" Kensi said casting a sweet smile to her partner.

"It's never been easy to steal candy from me… especially when I was a kid…" the cop remarked wittily.

"Kensi, you really don't know how sorry I am for you, dealing with this every day…" Sam put a comforting hand on the female agent's shoulder, showing all of his support.

Once again, her eyes moved to Deeks and once again, a soft smile escaped from her lips "It's not that bad when you get used to him"

The cop bowed his head, absolutely pleased for her reply. It was her subtle way to tell him that she loved being his partner.

"Ok guys, time to start doing our job" Callen moved towards the door "Nell, Eric, could you please send us everything to our phones?"

Eric toyed with his pad before exclaiming while winking "Done!"

Four phones beeped in unison.

"Wow, that was fast" came the usual Deeks' reply that gained him a poke in his ribs from Kensi's elbow.

"Come on Deeks, show me your liaison's skills" she grabbed him by his shirt, but he put up some resistance, looking at her with a naughty expression "Deeks, I said liaison's skills… not other skills! You're such a pervert"

"Hey… I didn't say anything! Who's the pervert now?" they were already outside Ops when their bantering could still be heard from the inside.

Nell and Eric could only laugh at the entire scene, while Sam and Callen, shaking their heads, unable to find any more words for their two teammates, walked outside.

"Miss Jones, Mr. Beale, when you'll have finished laughing, I would like you to run the usual search about Mr. Davidson. I would like to know whether he had something to hide or not… I would like to know if there was something out of place in his life" Hetty's face was grave and tremendously serious "No one can be tortured so brutally for nothing…"

"Sure, we'll start immediately" Nell sat in front of her computer and started working and Eric did the same a second later.

"Thank you and good luck with your work" the Operations Manager was already at the door when she added "And let me know if you find something" and with that she was gone.

* * *

"It went well, don't you think?" Deeks said while Kensi was driving her car to Roger Davidson's house "I don't think anyone suspected anything"

"Yeah, but Hetty scared me to death… are we sure that she doesn't know? I mean… it's Hetty, she… she knows everything" she echoed, voicing her concern. She expected her partner to make one of his usual remarks, but instead, he remained silent "Deeks, are you ok?" she put a hand on his thigh, waiting for him to look at her.

"Kensi, if… I was wondering… I mean…"

"Deeks, I can see your brain fuming… so please, say what you have to say" she paused, moving her hand to find his "It's me…"

"Are you… no… would you be ashamed of me if they knew? About us, I mean…" his deep blue eyes looked for hers.

"Ashamed? And why should I be ashamed of you?" she squeezed his hand, hoping he truly believed in her words "How could I be ashamed of the most amazing man in the whole world?"

"Oh yeah…" he chuckled a bit embarrassed and Kensi thought it was the cutest thing ever.

"If I wasn't driving... I would have taken a pic of your face… you had that cutie expression…" she bit her lips, clearly sensing the urge to kiss him.

As he was reading in her mind, he leaned towards her and kissed her, on her cheek "If you weren't driving… I would have jumped on you"

"Mmmm I see Naughty Marty is back…"

"Naughty Marty would like to meet Naughty Kensi" he purred, whispering in her ear.

"You can tell Naughty Marty that Naughty Kensi will meet him tonight, after work… when she'll teach him some little tricks…"

Deeks didn't answer, he simply started biting her ear, sending pleasuring tingles all over her body.

"Oh heck, Deeks… not now… please…" Kensi was finding hard to control herself, but it was very hard.

He planted another kiss on her neck, before moving back to his seat "I know, when I can stop, Kensi… but teasing you is just amazingly funny"

"Oh you will never change, won't you?" she said pretending to be exasperated.

"And do you want me to change?" his big grin became even wider, while his tongue played with his lips.

"I never said anything like that..." she mirrored his action, her eyes full of desire, but then she became serious when her car was in sight of Davidson's house "We're here" she stated, turning into full agent 's mode.

"Oh yes..." the car stopped and Deeks got out of it "I think it's time to show you all my skills..."

"Deeks!" Kensi protested, approaching him after getting out of her car as well.

"Hey... who's the pervert... again?" he winked as he walked towards the house, flashing his badge to the cop in uniform at the door. Once they got inside they started to take a look around, when all of the sudden, a voice caught their attention, well mostly Deeks' attention.

"Well, well, well... isn't it Marty Deeks... the great detective?" a man in a blue suit told him. He was tall, almost tall as Deeks, with short grey hair and a pair of piercing green eyes "You know that your presence here is not welcome at all..."

"What do you want Abbott?" the blond detective tensed and his partner didn't miss the change in his behavior "I'm here to do my job..."

"Your job?" Abbott walked closer, his face was just few inches away from Deeks' "We all know what your job is, Deeks... we all know what kind of a cop you are!"

"You better stop Abbott, because this time, I won't tolerate your insinuations..."

"These are not insinuations. Everyone in this room knows, Deeks... everyone knows you are a dirty cop, what kind of sick bastard you are" the man's green eyes landed on Kensi, smirking cunningly "I bet she doesn't know anything... I bet no one at NCIS knows or you wouldn't work for them anymore"

Kensi saw something in Deeks' eyes, something she had never seen before... for a few seconds there was just pure hatred in those blue orbits she knew so well and that scared her a little "Deeks..." she put a hand on his chest, attempting to take him away, to move him away from the other cop.

"Shut up, Abbott" the blond detective's voice was cold and it almost didn't sound like his.

"Oh, so you didn't tell them... in this case maybe I could fill in the blanks... maybe I can tell her, for example of how you were on the pay list of one of the biggest underground bosses in all of Los Angeles..."

"I sad shut up, Abbott!" Deeks' was getting angrier and angrier and he was finding hard to control himself.

"Why should I shut up?" Abbott's tone became low and vicious, his words full of venom "Why shouldn't I tell her how you got my partner killed? How you..." he couldn't go on, because he was reached by a very well delivered blow to his face that sent him to the floor.

"You're just a son of a bitch, Abbott!" Deeks yelled trying to hit the other man again, but Kensi stopped him.

"Deeks, stop!" she screamed, looking for eye contact with him.

Abbott wiped away the blood from his nose as he got up, laughing mockingly "You're such a great cop that you let a woman boss you around!"

The blond cop couldn't hear any other words and launched himself against Abbott "You're a bastard Abbott! Shut up! You don't have any rights to say that!"

Other cops, attracted by the commotion, moved to divide the two men, barely holding Deeks who was guided by an irrational fury.

"Let me go!" he shouted to them.

"You're pathetic Deeks... just pathetic! You've always been a poor excuse of a cop, not to mention a little bastard!" insisted Abbott, wriggling from other officers that was trying to take him away.

"You are an asshole Abbott... I won't be surprised if someone sooner or later will stab you in the back!" yelled again Deeks.

"Is this a threat Deeks?" Abbott teased him, laughing at him.

The blond cop was panting heavily as two officers were guiding him outside with Kensi on their tail "It's just a warning!" he told the older man with a cold and firm voice.

"Get out of here, Deeks... before I won't be able to control myself..." Abbott wiped away once again the blood dripping from his nose "This is not the end of it... not the end!"

Deeks wanted to reply, but in a blink of an eye he found himself outside the house, pushed roughly by two other cops.

"Madam, you better leave and take him with you" one of them told Kensi who stared at him pretty upset.

She really didn't know what had just happened, but for sure she didn't like what she saw, the way those cops had treated her partner, but she couldn't deny a certain curiosity about what Abbott had said.

"Deeks..." she moved her attention to her partner, who was standing, clearly furious, running a hand through his hair, nervously. She put a hand on his shoulder, shocked when he moved it away.

"Not now, Kensi..." he told her with such an impersonal voice that Kensi almost didn't recognize.

"Deeks, talk to me... please" she tried to close the distance between them, but he moved away, trying to escape her.

"Kensi... please, not... not now..." he turned around so he didn't have to look at her, so he didn't have to face her scrutinizing eyes. He needed a bit of time to process what had just happened.

"But..."

This time he turned again, so his blue eyes locked on hers, he took her hands in his "Please, Kensi... I... I need a bit of time, on my own... I... I will tell you everything, but... not now. Please, you have to... trust me... please. I..." without waiting for a reply, he walked backwards, away from her "Please" he repeated, softening his tone.

Kensi felt a pang in her heart at his last word, it was so full of pain, of sorrow, that unsettled her, touching her deeply "But Deeks, I..." but he was already too distant. She watched him leaving, studying his body language, noticing the heavy weight bothering him, hunching him down. Whatever this story was about, it was something that Deeks had probably buried deep inside of him and the moment it re-surfaced, caused a turmoil inside of him, something that he needed to process... alone. She had hoped for a moment that her partner could open up with her, especially considering the way things had evolved between them, but he had asked her to trust him... and she was going to do, because if there was someone that she could trust completely, well... that was Marty Deeks.

* * *

Ok I warned you that I couldn't go on in that mushy-cheesy way for too long, risking to go completely out of character :) I hope you understand.

How was it, btw? Good, bad... worth going on? Let me know what you think. I will appreciate it. Thanks in advance.


	4. Chapter 4

Time for a new chapter. Interested in finding out what happened between Deeks and Abbott in the past?

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 4

Kensi arrived at the Mission half an hour later. She was still trying to process what happened at Davidson's house, what got her partner so off, so upset... actually so mad. Deeks was not someone prone to violence, behind his goofy behavior lay the gentle soul of a caring man, the same man she fell in love with. She sighed, passing a hand over her face when she sat at her desk, her eyes landed on his empty desk. She couldn't stop thinking about him, she couldn't stop the feeling clenching her stomach, the sense of dread growing inside of her.

"Where are you Deeks?" she murmured.

"Miss Blye?" Hetty's voice took her away from her thoughts "I didn't expect you back so early..."

"Hetty, hey" Kensi almost jumped off her chair, surprised by the Operations Manager's sudden appearance "Yes... I... something happened" her eyes, once again, moved to Deeks' desk and her movement didn't go unnoticed to her boss.

Hetty lifted her eyebrow, puzzled "What happened to Mr. Deeks?"

The female agent got up, nervously, pacing up and down "Well, when we arrived at Davidson's house, LAPD was already there... and especially there was this detective, Abbott, who started insulting Deeks, saying something about him being a dirty cop, about getting his partner shot..." she paused looking straight at the other woman "Hetty, I've never seen him so mad...not even that day with Scarli... his eyes... you should have seen him. I hardly recognized him. It was... scary"

The Operations Manager took a deep breath, like she was reflecting on something.

"Hetty... is there something I should know? Because I have the feeling that you know much more than you're telling me..." Kensi insisted, a bit annoyed to be left in the dark. She had read a little hint of worry in the older woman's eyes, it had been just a glimpse, but enough to let her concern grew exponentially.

"Miss Blye, this is not my story to tell, but I assure you that if I only suspected that there was a single black mark on Mr. Deeks record, I would have never asked him to join us" Hetty said gravely, hiding what she was truly feeling behind her words.

"Hetty, do I have to be... worried? Because I... I have a bad feeling about this"

"Miss Blye I suggest you to stay close to your partner, because I am sure he will need a good friend... but give him some time" Hetty took another deep breath, shaking lightly her head "He will come to you eventually. Mr. Deeks cares too much about you to keep you out of the loop"

"But... how..." Kensi was confused, not to mention that she couldn't hide her concern.

The Operations Manager moved closer to her agent, putting a comforting hand on her arm "Miss Blye, I am not blind... I might be old, but blind? Not yet... and I can see very well what's in front of my eyes" her smile softened "If Mr. Deeks will open up to someone, well that someone will be only you"

"Hetty, I... we..." the female agent's throat became dry all of the sudden and she felt like a little girl scolded by her teacher.

Hetty smiled, even more sweetly "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me, but we'll need to discuss about this matter soon. I need to discuss it with you and Mr. Deeks the little change in your relationship"

Kensi couldn't do anything other than blushing, so she bowed her head a bit ashamed "I... think we can't do otherwise..."

"Miss Blye I'm not here to judge you, my dear...you can control everything in your life, everything but your heart. You can't chose who you fall in love with. It happens... it simply happens. The important part is that it doesn't interfere with your job, with your team and with the way you act during operations..." once again the Operations Manager gave her agent a little grin "But as I have already told you, we'll talk about this matter in the future. For now, it's better if you finish your report and then you'll take care of your partner"

A little shadow veiled Kensi's eyes at the thought, instinctively she took out her phone, hoping to find a message from Deeks, but sadly there was nothing. A disappointed sigh escaped from her lips.

"Miss Blye, you know him, you know that he will eventually come to you" Hetty held her agent's hand with hers.

"I know Hetty, I know... and believe me, as I trust him, I really do, but... his eyes scared me this morning and I fear he could so something he might regret. I will never forgive myself if he would do that, because even if I can understand his desire of having some time alone, I know I shouldn't have left him. I should have stayed with him..." Kensi barely held herself together, the idea of Deeks out there, all alone, was something she couldn't bear.

"You said you trusted him, so do it. Until the end... I don't think it's too hard" Hetty patted her hand and then walked away, leaving a very astonished Kensi standing in front of Deeks' desk.

"Come on Deeks, please... let me know where you are. Please let me know you're ok..." she said to herself, playing with her phone unsure whether sending him a text or simply wait. She was afraid of invading his space, of being too suffocating. She was aware that this was something he hated, that he felt like other people didn't trust him if they did that. She remembered too well the way he had reacted to Callen and Sam over-protectiveness, so she didn't want to make the same mistake.

She sat at his desk, like she wanted to feel his presence, to sense his scent that still pervaded her nostrils, like she wanted to be closer to him and then finally decided what to do. Kensi took out her phone and sent a simple text _Whenever you need it, I'm here... for you. Never forget it._

She sat there for other few minutes, then she walked back to her own desk and started working on her report, hoping in that way to keep her mind busy even if deep inside herself she prayed that he would answer her message. She needed just a quick test... just few simple words.

* * *

Back in her office, Hetty opened her secret archive and took out an old folder. She placed it on her desk and started reading it intently. It had been awhile since she had done that and in spite of what she saw in that, she was still sure of her decision, she was still more than sure that hiring Detective Deeks had been the right choice for her team. The past years had proven to her that he had been what her team needed and what Mr. Deeks himself needed. Nothing would ever make her change her mind about it. Nothing, not the insinuations of envious cops nor inconsistent evidence, no one ever proved. No one will ever convince her that Detective Deeks was a dirty cop. He was too loyal, too proud of what he did, of his job, of doing something important for someone, for people who couldn't defend themselves. He was a cop to the heart... plain and simple.

She read and re-read everything for the umpteenth time and after half an hour, she closed the folder and put it away, sighing heavily.

"Don't do anything stupid, Mr. Deeks. Just think about the consequences..." she locked the secret closet and poured herself a cup of tea. She needed to think.

* * *

It was late evening when Kensi arrived outside Deeks' apartment. She climbed the stairs and when she was in front of the door, she felt her heart beating madly. She didn't know what she could tell him, she didn't have any idea of what kind of state he could be, but she knew only one thing. She needed to be there... for him.

She knocked at the door, but no one answered; she knew Monty was not there, so after waiting few moments, she tried again, at least three times, but again, she didn't get any answer from the inside. Curios and worried, she peeked inside from the partially opened curtains of his living room, but Kensi didn't see any trace of her partner. His apartment looked practically the same as it was this morning when she came here to grab some fresh clothes for him...

He hadn't come back yet... and her concern grew exponentially. It had been almost an entire day and she had thought that by now, he might be already home. Too bad she was wrong.

Kensi evaluated her options, she could get inside using the spare key she had or she could wait for him, outside... and so she did. She needed some fresh air herself, so she sat down on the stairs and she waited for him to come back.

She didn't know how long she actually waited, when finally she heard some familiar footsteps climbing the stairs.

"Hey" she greeted him, studying him intently. Deeks looked tired, his hair was even shaggier than usual and his whole features couldn't hide the fact that he was a complete mess.

"Hey" he replied sitting beside her, leaning his head against her shoulder.

"You ok?" Kensi asked as she caressed his face. She knew he was far from ok, but she simply wanted to hear his voice.

"No" his voice almost cracked saying the single word "I'm sorry..." he whispered, shivering, his arms encircled her and embraced her as he buried his face into her hair, inhaling deeply her sent "I'm truly sorry"

They remained still, for what it looked like a lifetime, before finally Deeks started, taking a deep breath "It happened more or less two years and half before we met the first time. I was undercover for more than six months by then, I had infiltrated Ignacio Murillo's organization, posing as a street thug ready to do everything to rise in ranking of his organization. He liked up-and-coming guys and I offered myself on a silver plate. It took me just few weeks to gain his trust... and soon I was in. I was so close to wrap up the case, ready to stop his shady deals when everything started going wrong. Voices got to LAPD that I was on the take, that I was on Murillo's pay-list, that I was... dirty. I didn't care too much at first, because I thought it was just another accusation thrown from people who didn't like me that much, but sadly, these same voices arrived to Murillo himself. I save you all the details, but I can tell you that it was not pleasant... not at all" instinctively, his hand started massaging his abdomen, as a sudden pain coursed through it. He didn't want to tell anything to Kensi, he didn't want to admit one more time that the operation had almost cost him his life... "Well, fortunately, I don't know how exactly, I managed to convince Murillo that I wasn't a cop... for once my cover has been built correctly and it worked. Too bad that a couple of days later, when I came home, I found Shawn Emerson waiting for me. He was Abbott's partner, not to mention his buddy... Emerson was ambitious and mostly greedy... and he wanted to get some easy money. He came up with a very easy way to do it... he decided to sell me to Murillo and take my alias' spot in his organization..."

Kensi listened intently to her partner's words, she could sense his uneasiness, his rage mounting. He had kept these memories bottled for so long, but it was clear that talking was not helping him that much. It still hurt him "You don't have to tell me now.. if you're not ready. I can wait..."

Deeks gave her a sweet smile as he shook his head, before going on telling his story "He took me to Murillo, showing him the evidence that I was a cop... he showed him my badge..." his voice was broken and his whole body was shaken by trembling "I... I thought I was going to die that day... I still can feel every blow, every kick like it was now, but what I have stuck in my memories was Emerson's smile as he watched them hurt me..." he took another deep breath, his eyes watered but he fought the tears forming, not allowing them to flow "Fortunately, I was supposed to meet with my handler that day and when I didn't show up, he suspected something was wrong. So... LAPD burst into Murillo's compound, arresting him and some of his buddies, shooting others... Emerson was killed too"

"But if he... sold you, why does Abbott hate you so much? He said that you got his partner killed, that you were a dirty cop..." Kensi protested, confused.

"Because I... I... didn't report about Emerson's involvement to anyone... I simply said that I didn't remember why he was in the compound. I received some heavy blows to my head, so that was my excuse for my lack of memory"

"But... how... why?" Kensi was finding hard to understand, how could he have pardoned the man who almost got him killed? "Deeks, he blew your cover... he wanted Murillo to kill you! I... I don't get it, really..."

Deeks inhaled deeply, closing his eyes "He was dead, Kensi... and he had a family, a wife and three kids who wouldn't get a cent if he was found guilty... I... I simply couldn't..."

She didn't know what to say, once again amazed by the kind of man Marty Deeks was "But... Abbott? He... accuses you of his friend's death, why? He..."

"He spent most of the last five years finding some kind of evidence against me, trying to prove that not only I caused Emerson's death, but that I actually killed him because he found out I was on the take... he even found trace of some payments that Murillo made to my alias... passing them as they were given to me. He has been obsessed with me since that day... he brought out so many things about me, about my past... he almost got me kicked off the force one time, because according to him, I was mentally unstable..."

Kensi saw that his shivering was becoming more evident, so he took his hands in hers and it was then that she noticed it "Oh God... what happened to your hands?" the backs of his hands were, in fact, bloody and bruised, she was almost sure that he had a broken finger.

"I... I think I released a bit of tension against a wall..."

She kissed his hands, seeing him wincing, in pain "Maybe it's better if we go inside and I'll take a look at them..." she looked into his eyes, seeing all the sorrow, all the tiredness into them. She leaned towards him and her lips touched his, at first timidly, then when she felt him reacting, she did it with more passion.

"I thought... you said... you wanted... to go inside..." he muttered between a bit of a kiss and another.

She stopped what she was doing, realizing that they were still sitting outside his apartment, exposed to indiscreet eyes of his neighbors "Yeah, I think you're right" reluctantly she got up, still holding his injured hand "Come on"

They walked inside his apartment, in silence, both lost in thoughts; Kensi was reflecting on what Deeks had revealed to her, about the new bit of his past that he had shared with her and she couldn't stop hating even more the way other Police Officers treated one of their own... she truly couldn't understand such a behavior.

On the other hand, he was still very tense, this whole day had brought him back in time, to a place and a moment of his life that he had wanted to remove from his mind, but that had come back in full force to haunt him.

"Sit down on the couch, I'll go grab the first-aid kit" she smiled at him, preceding his question "…and don't worry, I know already where it is..." she winked cunningly.

Deeks did what she told him, he sat on the couch, leaning his heavy head against the back seat, closing his eyes. When Kensi came back in the room, she stopped a moment, studying him, tracing mentally the lines of his features... he looked so concerned and at the same time so defenseless, like he was in such a need of a hug. Sighing, she sat at his side "Here, let me take care of this" she started disinfecting the cuts and the wounds.

He cringed when she pressed one of his fingers "Ouch, that hurts!" he cried out.

"I think you have a broken finger... Hetty is so going to kill you, not to mention the fact that you should go to the hospital where they will fix it" she stated, bandaging his hands... when she had finished, she brought one of his hands to her lips, kissing it, finger by finger.

His body reacted immediately, feeling a shock running through his veins as all of his nerves tingled, sending pleasuring shivers down his back. He couldn't resist any longer and so, he launched himself against her, kissing her as his bandaged hands moved on her back and through her hair "Oh Kensi..." he murmured during the little moment in which their lips broke apart as they took a deep breath.

Kensi was hardly controlling her body that wanted more, that wanted to feel him... she pushed him on the couch, moving on top of him. With a slow and accurate move, she unbuttoned his shirt, running her hands along his chest, her mouth was still on his, their tongues were enjoying each other.

Deeks' man parts reacted almost violently as he arched his back, breathing heavily; as much as his injured hand allowed him, he lifted her shirt, touching her bare skin. His simple touch made her shiver... she removed her shirt and when his tentative fingers tried to unhook her bra, once again she helped him.

Their lips broke apart and Kensi could see his tongue dancing on his mouth, as he bit his lips, his eyes full of desire.

She started kissing his chest teasingly and every time her soft lips touched his bare skin, Deeks thought he was on the edge of exploding. His heart was pounding in his ears when his hands found their way to her breast, as his fingers played with her nipples.

"Deeks!" she cried out throwing her head back, sensing his body shifting under her. With deliberate slowness as she wanted to prolong his pleasuring agony, she unzipped his pants and he didn't wait too long to help her taking them away... a second later he did exactly the same with her jeans.

But they didn't stop... they wanted more, their bodies were burning with desire, they craved for each other... a minute later they were both naked... and she felt him inside her. All of her senses exploded with pleasure as they made love, as she was literally sent over the moon.

His hands touched her skin and his tongue found spots she didn't even imagine to be so sensitive... she cried out his name when she couldn't resist anymore... when both their bodies reached the orgasm together... when he felt pleasuring shivers shaking his body. He didn't remember having felt anything like that his entire life... because this woman, was different from all the women he had been with... this was Kensi Blye, this was the woman he loved more than everything in the whole world.

She panted heavily, still trying to get back the control of her body, her eyes locked on his, a satisfied grin curved her lips. She still couldn't believe it, this really happened... it was not a dream, it was reality... and so she smiled, with joy.

"What?" he asked still out of breath.

"Nothing... I'm just... happy..." she told him as she snuggled into his strong arms encircling her body.

Deeks kissed the top of her head, in such a sweet way that melted her heart. She had always wondered what one of his kisses might to do to her, but she never expected to enjoy them so much...

"I am happy too..." his eyes sparkled in the dim light of the room as they couldn't have enough of her; even if he wanted, he wouldn't be able to take his glance away from her. She was simply perfect.

He saw her shivering and without breaking the contact with her, he extended an arm to retrieve a blanket he always had on the armchair next to the couch and with that he covered their naked bodies "Better now?" he wondered, hugging her even tighter, as he was afraid that she could go away.

"Much better" she moved just enough to kiss him "Never been better..." and all of the sudden she felt her eyelids became heavier as the weight of the whole day started to show. She yawned, making him chuckle.

"Wow, I thought I could have another effect on you" he told her, smirking cunningly. His bandaged finger touched her nose, playfully.

"Just give me a little break and I'll show you something about having an effect..." she winked, snuggling closer under the blanket and into his arms.

"I have to say that I love Naught Kensi's point of view..."

"Oh well, wait until you'll have a real demonstration" she said, slightly closing her eyes.

Deeks purred amused "And you said I was naughty..." he was tired too, it had been a very taxing couple of days, but if this was the reward, well he didn't care too much at all. She gave Kensi one last kiss, before his eyes closed as well and a minute later they were both sleeping in each other arms.

* * *

I hope the last bit was not completely out of character, I would not like it myself :) So please, let me know your thoughts, good or bad... I will appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

What's going to happen now? I know you have your theories... and yes, someone guessed it right ;)


	5. Chapter 5

Ok I've been told that after the last bit of last chapter, this story should be M rated, I know you're probably right and that I could have put a warning, so I apologize if I offended someone... and so, I warn you now ;)

Thanks for your feedback, I always appreciate it.

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 5

He opened his eyes, sensing the light of the morning sun coming from the windows reaching his face. At first Deeks didn't know where he was, a bit confused, but then, when he saw the beautiful figure of his partner cuddled in his arms, a sweet smile curved his lips. Kensi was lying on top of him, engulfed by his arms… completely naked. He could feel the heat emanating from her perfect body, her rhythmic breath tickled his neck.

The blanket covering their bodies had slid down a little, revealing her bare shoulders… this was too good to be real. He had dreamt about this for so much time and now, it… happened.

The cop kissed the top of her head, moving few dark locks aside from her face, feeling her stirring at his touch.

Kensi cracked an eye open, smiling when she noticed her partner's blue ones stared at her.

"Morning Fern" he simply told her, with that mellow voice she couldn't resist at all.

"Morning Shaggy Boy" she replied. Kissing him on his lips, her expression was so peaceful, so satisfied…

Deeks couldn't take his eyes away from her.

"What?" she asked a bit confused by his silence.

"I was just… looking at you. You're so beautiful…" he caressed her hair, gently, tenderly, moving them behind her ears.

Kensi could see that something was going on in his head, but she couldn't put a fingers on it "Deeks? Are you having second thoughts?"

He didn't answer her, he simply leaned towards her and kissed her, with passion.

"Mmmm I like the way you put it…" she purred, shivering a little.

"You're cold" he told her, massaging her naked body under the blanket to warm her up "…and we better get going, it's 7.15am or we will be late for work"

"You're wounding me here Mr. Deeks… are you pushing me away?" she pretended to be hurt as she slid under the blanket and started kissing him, all over his body.

Deeks found hard to control himself, his back arched, reacting at her gentle touch… every kiss sent pleasuring shivers down his spine "I was simply suggesting that we could take a shower, before having breakfast and then going to work…" he moaned when her kisses went down to his body and he couldn't resist any longer. His hands started tracing the line of her back, of her butt, pushing her up, then with a sudden movement, he put himself into a sitting position, guiding her on top of him as his fingers found their way to her chest, to her breast…

Kensi sensed his hands on her and her heart started pounding, she moaned, wanting more, when she felt him inside her as every little tiny bit of her whole body was crossed by an electrical discharge, by a shock that coursed through her veins… "Oh God… Deeks…"

His lips touched every centimeter of her naked skin and she knew she couldn't control herself anymore "Please… oh please…" she purred ecstatically, trembling with pleasure, as his stubble tickled her.

He felt her hands stroking his hair as she guided his face towards her breast, as his tongue played with her nipples "Kens… oh…"

"Don't stop… please don't stop" she murmured, craving for more, her mouth looked for his, capturing his lips, devouring them with avidity, with greed…

Then both their bodies exploded in unison as they both cried out, completely out of breath, panting in each other arms, her face buried on his shoulder as he hid his in her long hair.

"I… I love you Kensi Marie Blye" he whispered, almost unconsciously, but meaning it… deeply.

She lifted her head, her eyes staring straight at him, losing themselves into the ocean blue of his orbits. She didn't expect him to say that, she didn't expect her to feel so overwhelmed by those simple words, she didn't expect her to reply "I love you too Marty Deeks" before smiling and kissing him again.

They stood like that until their bodies started to shiver.

"I still think that we really need to take that shower" Deeks said, grinning like a kid.

"I know… but we better not to do it together or we'll never make it to the office… and Hetty won't be too happy" she didn't like the sound of her words, she truly wanted to take that shower with him, but she knew that they couldn't resist each other… that being under the water together will lead to another… playful making out session "And you don't want to upset her, do you?"

"How to ruin a perfect moment…" he smirked shaking his head. He kissed her once again, before guiding her on the couch "You know…. This is what happened on the couch, think about what will happen when we actually hit the bed" he teased her a little bit more with his tongue, before getting up.

Her breath was taken away by the sight of his athletic, naked body, her eyes traced every curve of it as she bit her lips, with pleasure.

"I see you like what you see" he turned to face her, flashing one of his infamous cheeky green.

"Oh shut up… you better get to the shower now or you won't make it at all"

"Oh this sounds so dirty Fern… Naught Marty loves it…" he was walking towards the couch again, but she stopped him with a scolding glance.

"Deeks, shower. Now!" she ordered even if a bit disappointed.

Deeks sighed heavily "Ok, ok… but don't cry for me. I won't be away too long" he hadn't finished talking yet, that a pillow reached him on his face "Hey, this is not fair!"

They both laughed, enjoying the silly moment, before he finally moved to bathroom, leaving her alone on the couch. Kensi grabbed the blanket and tucked herself in, inhaling deeply, as his scent filled her nostrils… it was an inebriating sensation, that filled her heart and mind… she could hear him in the shower, singing joyfully and her whole body relaxed, filled by a sense of peace she hadn't felt in ages. It was so good… almost too good to be true.

An hour later, after they both had showered, they were sitting at the table eating breakfast. Deeks had made pancakes while she was refreshing herself, along with fresh coffee. It was such a nice moment, that they both enjoyed in silence until Kensi broke it.

"Hetty wants to talk to us" she said, surprising him a little and making him choke.

"What?" he wondered almost terrified by the idea "But how… does… does she know?"

His partner smiled, taking his hand in hers "Don't worry, it's ok… she's ok with it. She told me yesterday…"

He narrowed his eyes, not so sure about it "Are you… really sure? I mean, she might have said that to you, but… I think that maybe… well, you said it yourself, she was polishing her letter opener… seriously it's Hetty, she is a little Ninja, she can…"

She silenced him, planting a kiss on his lips "Shut up Deeks. Everything is going to be ok…"

"Really?" he asked with such a childish voice that made her only want to hug him even more.

"Really" Kensi squeezed his hand, tightly, before kissing it, tenderly.

They were both enjoying the moment when they heard the sirens of Police cars approaching and suddenly stopping, as they were right outside the building.

"What the hell?" Deeks asked reaching for his gun as Kensi did exactly the same. Cautiously he moved to his door, opening with circumspection. He didn't expect to find what welcomed him… he didn't expect to find Police Officers aiming their gun at him "Hey… what…"

"Put your gun down!" a very angry officer shouted at him, walking closer to the door.

"Hey, we're on the same boat man" the cop moved his hand to his back pocket, looking for his badge, but doing so he was literally assaulted by three agents who pushed him inside his apartment.

"Don't move!" another agent yelled.

Kensi couldn't understand what was happening, completely confused "Come on, why don't you calm down?" she said trying to quieten the man up.

"Sorry madam, but stay out of it!" another officer told her not very gently.

"Hey, show her some respect" Deeks moved towards the agent who had just addressed rudely to Kensi, but that was his mistake. In a blink of an eyes, he found with his face pressed painfully against the wall, with his arms pinned behind his back as one of the Officers was handcuffing him. His head hit the concrete wall so hardly that for a moment he saw stars blinking in front of his eyes as a little rivulet of bloods fell down his temple.

"Marty Deeks, you're under arrest for the murder of Detective Wade Abbott. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you" the agent told him.

"What? Are you kidding me?" Deeks protested as he had been turned around.

"You can't arrest him… he's a cop!" Kensi moved towards her partner, but two other agents stopped her "Let me go!" she yelled angrily.

"Kensi!" her partner shouted when he saw a man manhandling her. He tried to wriggle from the arresting officers' grip but this gained him just a punch in his stomach that sent him to his knees.

"Deeks!" her concern and her anger grew exponentially because of the way her friend, the man she loved, was treated "Deeks, are you ok?"

"I'm good Kens… I'm good" he panted as he laboriously stood up; his eyes crossed hers. He could see the tears that veiled hers mismatched orbits "Kens…"

It broke her heart seeing him like that, handcuffed in his house, in front of her "I'll get you out Deeks…"

"Oh I won't be so sure Madam…" the older officer told her, grinning viciously "You're lover-boy here won't see the light for a looooong time…"

"Oh don't be ridiculous! I didn't kill Abbott… I didn't like him and trust me it was reciprocal, but kill him… do you think I'd be so stupid to ruin my life for someone like him?" Deeks remarked drily, hoping to hide the hint of fear that was taking possession of him. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling about this, something he couldn't describe but that chilled his bones.

Kensi noticed that behind his snarky comment, her partner was really worried, she could read it in his body language.

"Oh I'm sorry to disappoint you, but… people saw the two of you having a fight yesterday afternoon, outside the district… and you were stupid enough to leave your fingerprints on the knife with which you stabbed him… in the back" the old officer explained triumphantly.

Kensi froze hearing those words… Deeks hadn't told her anything about any fight, about… oh God! The image of Deeks' bloody and wounded hands flashed in front of her eyes as the officer's words _the knife with which you stabbed him… in the back_ reminded her of what her partner had told Abbott yesterday at Donaldson's house.

Deeks saw her horrified face and he realized what she was thinking, what was crossing her mind in that moment "Kensi, no… you can't think I did that…"

But she didn't answer him, she simply stared at him, blankly, unable to say a single word.

"Kensi, please.." he begged with tears veiling his eyes; it hurt him. It hurt him so much seeing her doubting him "Kens… it's me… you know I will never do anything like this…"

"Take him to the precinct" the officer in charge ordered his men, who pulled the handcuffed cop away from the room "Reed, you stay here until forensics will come to make their investigation… and you…" he spoke directly to Kensi "…don't touch anything"

Deeks' eyes were still on hers, unable to take his glance away "Kensi" he repeated with such a pained voice, before he was dragged out, away from her sight.

When she found herself into his empty apartment, she leaned against the wall, sliding down until she sat on the floor, dragging her legs to her chest, she burst out crying "Oh God… what did I do?" she buried her face in her knees "Oh Deeks, I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…"

* * *

"Good morning Nell" Eric said walking into Ops, not surprised at all to find his friend already there. Besides Hetty, she was the first to arrive and the last to leave "What are you doing?"

"Well, it's very early, the guys are not here yet, our search is running on its own… we have already put in order all the files and everything, so… why not watching a bit of TV?" Nell told him smiling, cunningly. This could have seen as a little bit of rebellion and she enjoyed teasing Eric about it.

"But, you know that we can't use the big screen of Ops for personal purposes…" protested timidly the tech, remembering the severe scolding he received from the Operations Manager when he had played his favorite video game in Ops "You know that Hetty doesn't approve…"

"Oh come on Eric, where's your adventurous spirit?" the petite analyst gave him a kind smile and he was done.

"Ok, but… what if we take a look at the news? I went surfing this morning and I couldn't watch them…" he suggested thinking that maybe this was the lesser of two evils.

"Your desire is an order" Nell pressed a couple of buttons on her keyboard and the Channel News appeared on the big screen "Here you are"

Few minutes later they were having fun listening to the last gossip, discussing about their favorite TV celebrities when breaking news appeared on screen, startling them.

"What do you think it happened so early in the morning?" Eric asked, moving his whole attention to the screen. He froze when he finally realized what his ears were hearing, Nell's expression was the mirror of his.

_The body of Detective Wade Abbott of the 10__th__ precinct of LAPD has been found this night in a deserted alley downtown Los Angeles. Abbott has been stabbed in the back with a kitchen knife after he was in a fight with the man who is probably his killer. LAPD arrested a man, Detective Martin Deeks with the accusation of being the murderer._

Images of Deeks led in handcuff inside the LAPD precinct showed up on the screen. It sounded so wrong to both Nell and Eric who were mouth wide open, completely in shock.

_According to several testimonies, the two detectives had an argument yesterday morning, the reasons of this are still unknown. It seems that Detective Deeks followed Detective Abbott, witnesses saw them verbally fighting outside the precinct just few hours after their first argument. The two men were separated and they went away in different directions, but probably Detective Deeks was not satisfied of the way the discussion ended and followed Abbott, before stabbing him in the back. His fingerprints have been found on the knife that was missing from the set in his apartment._

"I can't… no, it's… it's impossible… Deeks is not capable of doing something like this" Eric asked rhetorically, waiting for Nell to say something, but she simply remained silent, lost in her thoughts "Nell?" he insisted.

"I… I think we have to call the others" and with that she walked out of Ops, leaving a very confused and concerned Eric standing alone, with his unanswered question.

* * *

Not more than twenty minutes later, Nell returned into the room with Sam, Callen and Hetty at her heels, a disturbed expression planted on their faces.

"Eric, tell me Nell was joking!" Callen said, freezing when his eyes stopped on the images on the big screen "I… this must be some kind of joke"

"It's a bit too big to be a joke, G" Sam remarked, gravely. His cold stare couldn't leave Deeks' face as it appeared on the big screen, the cop's eyes were so lost, there was so much sorrow into them… the ex-Seal felt like he was reading a sense of betrayal in those usually joyful blue eyes.

"Mr. Beale I want you to find everything about this story, everything official, not just what we can hear from the news… I want all the reports, all the evidences, everything they have against Mr. Deeks" Hetty spoke with a distant voice, but inside of her, she couldn't contain the fire that had just lightened up. She couldn't believe a single word she was hearing, Detective Deeks could be a lot of things, but not a murderer. Of course what happened yesterday at Davidson's house had been pretty disturbing for him, she knew how affected he had been by the whole Emerson/Abbott situation, but killing a man? Another cop? No, she truly couldn't believe it. It was simply impossible.

"Where's Kensi? Someone should call her before she could find out about all of this on the news" Callen wondered really concerned, he knew that their friend will be the most affected by what had just happened and he truly didn't know how she could react to this.

"She hasn't showed up yet… maybe she's on her way" Nell told him as once again, she cast a look at what was on the big screen and her stomach clenched. Was it possible that a man she considered a friend, a man she worked with every day, could do something like that? Deeks had been under a lot of stress in the last couple of years, first with the whole mess in which he completely lost it in the bullpen, then there was the whole Vika Gordenkova case… he was a nice man, very gentle, but everyone had a breaking point. What if he reached it? She sighed deeply, not liking at all where her mind was taking her.

"Let me call her" the blue eyed team leader took out his phone and dialed his teammate's number. When he thought she was not going to answer, a feeble voice finally picked it up.

"Callen…"

"Kensi?" he said, sensing that something was wrong with her. His heart skipped a bit thinking that maybe she had already found out about her partner "Kensi, are you ok?"

"Callen… they took him… they arrested him and I…" she couldn't control her emotions as tears rolled down her face "I couldn't… I didn't tell him anything… he was so…"

Callen put the call on speaker.

"Kensi where are you?" Sam intervened, shocked by how hurt she sounded, so out of character "Kensi, answer me…"

"I'm… I'm at Deeks'… forensics are here, they said that… that the knife that killed Abbott comes from his set… I… I can't believe it… I…" she looked so confused, so lost in her own world.

"She probably arrived when the police was arresting Deeks or when they had already done it…" Callen lowered his voice, not wanting Kensi to hear them "Kensi, don't move. Stay where you are, we'll come to get you, ok?"

"Callen… Deeks didn't do that, we have to get him out…"

"Miss Blye, just do what Mr. Callen told you. I'll talk with the Chief of the Police in the meantime" Hetty tried to reassure her agent even if it was obviously very hard. After the conversation she had with Kensi yesterday, she could only imagine what her young agent was going through. She was sure that something might have happened to cause her such a reaction though, but at the moment the Operations Manager could take care of one thing at a time "We'll find a way to help him, I promise you"

"Thanks Hetty" and with that Kensi closed the communication.

"Sam, come on, let's go get her" the team leader suggested turning on his heels, but when he was at the door of Ops, Hetty called him back.

"Mr. Callen, I suggest you to be very careful about what you say to Miss Blye… she might be in a very poor emotional state"

"Hetty, why do I have the feeling that you're not telling me everything? That you're hiding something?" Callen wondered absolutely confused.

"And why do you think anything like that?" the Operations Manager smiled, but her smile was not a joyful one "Just take care of her. She may need friends in this moment"

"We'll do that for sure, Hetty" Sam answered for the two of them, before rushing out of the room.

"Miss Jones, Mr. Beale, I want everything about this case on my desk for when I'll be back from LAPD… I need to have a conversation with the Chief of the Police and I want to talk to Mr. Deeks" Hetty stated gravely.

The two techs nodded and started their job.

"Hetty.."

"Yes, Mr. Beale…"

"When you'll see Deeks, do you mind… would you mind telling him that we're with him? That we… that we don't believe anything of what they are accusing him of?" Eric told her boss, nervously turning to face Nell "Because we don't believe he did it, do we?"

Before the petite analyst could reply, the Operations Manager said "Of course I'll do Mr. Beale, I'm sure he will appreciate your sentiment" and with that she left Ops too.

The tech was still staring at her friend "Nell, we don't believe Deeks might be a murderer, do we?"

Nell bowed her head ashamed "I… I don't know Eric, I want to believe it, but… I don't know. I truly don't know" she went back to her work, leaving Eric completely speechless.

* * *

Did you really think things could go on so good for them? So here you are... what do you think about this? Does it make sense?

I appreciate hearing your opinions... thanks in advance!


	6. Chapter 6

New chapter is up, thanks to everyone who's still reading this.

And for answering some questions, I know that maybe Kensi and Nell acted a bit weirdly in the last chapter, but I hope I'll be able to explain it in the future.

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 6

Sam and Callen arrived at Deeks' apartment and flashed their badges to find their way in. They could sense hostile glances directed at them and they could imagine the reason. Deeks was accused to be the murderer of another cop and they were his teammates, his friends... so they were the enemies here.

"You shouldn't be here" a Police officer told them with disgust "And the same goes for her…" he indicated Kensi who was sitting in a corner of the room, her knees to her chest, lost in her own world.

"We have all the rights to be here" Sam stated, staring at the cop angrily "So shut up and let us do our job"

"But…" the officer protested, but Callen's look incinerated him.

"G, you take a look around, I'll take care of Kensi" the ex-Seal felt like an intruder, he had been at Deeks' place only once without actually getting in. It felt so wrong being here today… in this occasion, absolutely wrong.

"Call me if you… need me" the blue eyed man said, he could see even in distance that Kensi was a real mess, something he was not used to see.

"Count on that" Sam walked towards his younger teammates while Callen started checking the room.

His trained eyes scanned the place and some details caught his attention immediately… the blanket on the couch, two cups of coffee and two plates for breakfast, Kensi's jacket discarded on the armchair… his heart skipped a bit realizing what was in front of him. His hand scratched his head, things were going to be more complicated than expected. Sighing heavily, he went back to his job.

In the meantime, Sam reached Kensi and joined her on the floor "Hey" he greeted her speaking with a gentle voice.

She didn't even look at him, holding her knees, leaning her chin on them, rolling like she was cuddling herself "I… I hurt him Sam, I hurt him when he needed me…" her words were full of pain, full of deep sorrow "I hurt him so much, I saw it in his eyes… how could I do that? After… after…" she couldn't resist any longer and tears started running down her face.

"Come here" the ex-Seal guided her into his arms, feeling her trembling and sobbing. This was so un-Kensi-like, she was too emotional, too involved… it was about Deeks, ok he got it and she was always very edgy when it comes to him, but this… this was different, this was like… Realization hit him, remembering the look he saw into Deeks' eyes when the images of his arrest had appeared on screen in Ops "Kensi, don't say that…"

"Don't say that?" she wriggled from his embrace, looking at him with anger, with fury, not directed at her teammate, but to herself "He was begging me to believe in him, to believe he didn't… that he…" she paused overwhelmed by the emotions "I doubted him, it was just a second, but it was too much for him. You should have seen him Sam, it was like I had stabbed him in the back… among all the people who could do that, I did it… I betrayed him…"

The ex-Seal could see how much all of this was affecting her, how guilty she felt, how much she was not able to think straight… how much she cared for her partner. He sighed deeply, thinking about how things will start to be different from now on "Kensi, he knows you… he knows you're on his side and that you have his back, as you always did"

She shook her head, almost desperate "No, no… no… not this time. He needed me, he needed my support and I didn't give him, I was not able to give it to him… he never doubted me, even when everything was against me, and I…" her mind went to that time in which she was accused of murdering one of his father's comrades and to the way Deeks was there for her "… after… after… yesterday… stupid, stupid, stupid!" she slammed her hand to the floor, violently, with desperation… vehemently as her eyes were filled with angry tears.

"Don't do that Kensi" Sam once again, passed his arm around her shoulders, embracing her "This won't help him… and it won't help yourself. We need to stay focused now and find a way to get him out…"

"I… I… want him back…" she whispered, with such a feeble voice, so uncommon for her… so childish in a certain way.

"I know Kensi, I know. We all want that, but to do that, we have to think straight and, for how much it would be possible, to keep our emotions at bay or we won't be able to help him at all" with his thumbs, the ex-Seal wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks, relieved to see her nodding and trying to get some control over her body and mind "Better now?"

"No, but… I got the message Sam" she straightened up, taking a deep breath "I'll let him know that I made a mistake, but for now… we have to find something to help us get him out of jail…"

"That's the spirit" Sam stood up, helping her on her feet too and caressing her with brotherly affection.

"Hey Kens" Callen told her approaching his two teammates, his eyes first sent a knowing glance to his partner and then studied her features. It pained him seeing her like that, seeing her behaving so… un-Kensi, but he could understand her reason.

"I'm fine, Callen" she smiled faintly and they all knew she wasn't fine at all, but it was her way to tell them that she was there with her mind now, focused.

"Do you mind telling us what the hell happened?" the team leader wondered a bit frustrated "These cops are absolutely non-cooperative…"

Kensi cast a look at the room and when her eyes stopped on the couch, memories assaulted her and for a moment she thought she was not able to breathe "Can we… can we get outside though? I… I need some fresh air…" without waiting for a reply, she walked outside, immediately followed by her friends. Once they were outside, she leaned against the rally, passing a hand through her hair and started talking "When we went to Davidson's house yesterday, there was this cop, Abbott… he started accusing Deeks, treating him like… let's say he was not very nice. Deeks got mad, I have never seen him like that. He literally jumped on Abbott, punching him… telling that he was surprised anyone hasn't stabbed him in the back yet…"

Sam and Callen exchanged a heavy glance, weighing her words.

"Deeks left the house and disappeared all day… I found him here, yesterday night. He told me about what happened between him and Abbott" seeing the inquisitive looks of her teammates, Kensi explained everything, telling them word by word what her partner told her, right in this same spot where they were standing now, adding the little detail of Deeks' injured hands.

Sam passed a hand over his face "This is such a mess…"

"And it doesn't look good at all" echoed Callen gravely "I can see why the cop arrested him… he had a motive, he had the opportunity, probably, well mostly for sure, he doesn't have an alibi for the time of death… and that damn knife is missing from his set… this is so damn bad!"

"Wait a minute… Abbott has been killed with Deeks' knife and the knife was here… in his kitchen… so whoever killed Abbott came here to get it" the ex-Seal was reflecting out loud and in the meantime he took out his phone, dialing Ops "Eric, you need to check the cameras outside Deeks' apartment. Look for something out of place, see if someone sneaked inside to get that knife that has been used to kill Abbott… and do it quickly!"

The affirmative answer of the tech came from the other side of the conversation.

"You… you believe him" Kensi murmured, feeling a bit relieved.

Callen put a hand on her shoulder "Kensi, give us some credit… we're talking about Deeks, not a random guy. He might be annoying, a pain in the ass, but not a murderer… that's for sure" his blue eyes locked on hers, seeing the tears matting her mismatched orbs.

"Thank you" she simply said, bowing her head "If only I showed him the same faith, maybe he... maybe…"

"Kensi, stop doing that! We'll get him out and then you will fix things with him… one step at a time" Sam intervened, not liking at all the self-pity version of her friend.

"But what if I hurt him so badly, what if I… ruined everything, if I screwed up… I… can't… he is…" she couldn't go on talking, a tight vice clenched her throat.

Sam and Callen gave her a knowing glance and the ex-Seal guided her in his arms once again "We know, Kensi… we know, but everything will be all right…"

Breaking apart, Kensi stared at her friends, at their concerned eyes. They truly knew what happened between Deeks and her, but they were discreet enough not to say anything. It was their silent way to approve… and for now, this was all that mattered to her. Now she only needed her partner back… and the things back to where they were this morning. It seemed just a distant memory… but only few hours ago, they were lying in each other arms on his couch… "I'll get you out Deeks and I'll set things straight with you. I promise you" she thought, clenching her fists tightly.

The fire of determination burnt in her eyes and this didn't go missed by her teammates, who simply nodded, praying that everything will be fixed soon or the consequences will be epic…

* * *

Hetty Lange was furious, plain and simple. Talking with the Chief of the Police didn't help her cause, well actually, Mr. Deeks' cause. The man didn't have any intention to release her "liaison" agent, not even under her guarantee, because knowing the detective's ability to become another person, he might be able to escape, eluding surveillance.

"Oh bugger!" she had exclaimed walking out of the Chief's office, slamming the door behind her. At least she had obtained to talk with Mr. Deeks, in private, before anyone else could talk to him… well, it wasn't much, but better than nothing.

She arrived outside the room where her agent was kept waiting to be interrogated and a big officer in uniform stopped her "I'm sorry madam, but visitors are not allowed"

"Oh shut up and step aside. I have Chief Wesley's permission to talk with my agent… so move your plantigrade feet away and let me walk inside, before I can get very angry!" she spoke with such a firm and steady tone that the man shivered hearing those words and without hesitation allowed her into the room "I see that you can appreciate things said nicely"

She opened the door and in spite of her worst prevision, she didn't expect to see what showed up in front of her eyes "Oh what in the seven hell…?" she murmured walking closer to the detective "How are you feeling?"

Deeks was sitting on a chair with his hands still handcuffed behind his back. There was a bruise on his temple, with some caked blood, the same wound they had all seen when the images of his arrest had appeared on screen in Ops the first time, but now he had a split lip and a bloody nose too.

"I'm fine…" he answered with a feeble voice, as he was finding hard to breathe "I… simply slip and fell to the ground" he added, smiling bitterly.

"Oh don't be cheeky… this is not the right moment!" she scolded him, walking behind him and working on the cuffs. Few seconds later and a click sound later, his hands were finally free.

The cop hissed in pain as his shoulders were finally free to move after hours in which they had been constricted in the same position "Thanks" he told her, massaging his raw wrists. The officer who had arrested him didn't go very easy on him, tightening the handcuffs a bit too much for his taste.

"Let me reformulate my question, Mr. Deeks, how are you feeling?" the Operations Manager asked, locking her eyes on his blue ones.

"Let me reformulate my answer… I'm fine" he repeated, but he knew that he couldn't convince her… hell he couldn't convince even himself.

"I'll see if I can let a doctor check on you" she told him, watching him bowing his head, as he was ashamed of looking at her "Mr. Deeks, I…"

"I didn't do it, Hetty…" Deeks interrupted her with a tentative voice that lacked completely of its usual self-confident note "I didn't kill him… I…"

"I know… we all know" she sat in front of him, studying him intently, seeing the shadow darkening his expression "I said, we all know Mr. Deeks. We believe you, because we all know you…"

"Yes, of course" he couldn't help himself, the memories of the last few hours were confused and blurred, only one things was clear… the thing that hurt him the most, Kensi shocked face as she watched him being taken away, as she was unable to tell him anything… as she doubted him. That had been like a dagger sunk in his heart… in that moment all of his certainties had gone into pieces, in that moment he had truly feared that everything was lost for him if even the woman he loved, doubted him.

"Mr. Deeks, I don't know what happened with Miss Blye, but I assure you that we are all working on getting you out of here. We All are…"

"Hetty… I…" his eyes watered and even if he wanted to say hundreds of words, they all died in his throat "Damn it!" he slammed his hand on the table, his whole body shaken by trembling.

"You have to trust us… just give us some time and we'll find a way to prove your innocence" her hand moved towards his, squeezing it when it found it.

"Hetty, I…" Deeks wriggled from her touch, as he was afraid of it and got up, running his hand through his hair, nervously "I.. I am…"

"Being scared is normal in this situation… going to jail, for something you didn't do…"

"Hetty, I'm not scared of going to jail, even if I'm aware that the life of a cop behind the bars is not so easy… I'm not scared of what people might think of me, I'm used to that…" he hesitated and his teary eyes stared at the older woman, with affection, with gratitude "I'm scared of losing everything… of losing this sense of belonging I found at NCIS, of losing everything I wanted for so long… of losing…" and this time he couldn't go on, his stomach knotted tightly.

"Miss Blye will never let you go, not so easily Mr. Deeks… you won't lose her" it broke her heart seeing him like that, so unsure of himself, so lost. It was truly natural for everyone in a situation like this, to react in this way, but this was getting to him even worse than she had expected.

Deeks chuckled bitterly "Hetty, I don't know if you realized in what kind of shitty situation I am… if I'll be lucky, I'll get out of here when I won't be able to walk on my legs anymore… I… I…" he turned his face, not able to hold her scrutinizing glance "Even if she will beg to wait for me, I won't allow her to ruin her life for me… I will never forgive myself if I will let her do that" his voice broke thinking about Kensi, about her smile, about her body in his arms and he had to fight hard not to cry.

"Oh shut up and stop drown in self-pity! And I can make it an order… if you prefer!" Hetty rebuked him "We're not going to let you down… and you have to believe it!"

"Sorry, if I find it a bit hard at the moment…" he replied ironically "Hetty, they've got evidences, they've got… witnesses! All I have is my word and I don't think it counts too much right now…"

"You've got us Mr. Deeks… you've got me, Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna, Mr. Beale and Miss Jones… you've got Kensi and we won't let you down. Never!"

Her words touched him deeply, he never had anyone who truly believed in him as these people, that had become more than a family to him, believed in him. They trusted him in spite of all the evidences "Hetty, I…"

The Operations Manager stood up, walking closer to him "I know it's hard, I know it's scary… but don't lose your hope, please… just try to hang in there. We'll get you out of this. I promise you"

Deeks raised his head, staring at the ceiling, then he buried his face in his hands "I'll try, but… I don't think they'll give me a first class treatment"

Hetty tilted her head, recognizing he was right; not only he was a cop who was going to jail, where there were probably a lot of people he arrested, but he was going to jail because he was suspected to have killed another cop… and this could lead the ire of other officers towards him. It was not the best of situations "I can't make you a promise about this matter, but I'll try to do everything I can to find the best accommodation in the meantime"

The cop smiled, but the grin didn't reach his eyes "Yeah, right…" he cringed when he made a sudden movement, as his body protested.

"You still haven't answered my question though" the older woman insisted, studying his expression.

"I'm good… really, nothing that I haven't had before" he simply said, sitting down.

Hetty sighed heavily "Stubborn as a mule and loyal till the end…" she shook her head, swearing. Still disappointed by her agent's behavior, she sat in front of him "Since we're here, chatting amiably, why don't you tell me your side of the story?"

"You never give up, don't you?" he laughed out loud, regretting immediately when his aching ribs, gift of well delivered blows he received after his arrest, protested in agony.

"You should know it after all these years…"

He couldn't resist her and even if a bit tentatively, he told her everything, starting from the events of the previous day. When he had finished, he felt lighter… he knew that nothing had changed, that he was still screwed up, but at least he was aware that his team will do everything to help him.

Once he finished his explanation, Hetty got up "Thank you, Mr. Deeks… I think I should go if I had to find a way to get you out of here soon. Please, remember what I told you… you're not alone and you will never be"

"Thanks" Deeks murmured as his eyes watered a bit, he knew that soon he would be alone in this place, alone facing some very angry people, but he trusted Hetty, he trusted the team… and at the moment, it was all he had.

The Operations Manager was leaving when he called her back "Hetty, can you… can you tell Kensi that I…" he didn't know what he could tell her "That I… never mind" he bowed his head, defeated.

"Don't worry Mr. Deeks, I'll be sure to give her your message" and with that Hetty left, closing the door behind her.

In spite of the promises Deeks had made to her, the moment she got out, the moment the door closed, he felt terribly alone, like he had never felt in his whole life.

* * *

"Eric, tell us you have something!" Callen said storming into Ops with Sam and Kensi following him.

"I have something…" the tech replied, guiltily "But it's not what you were looking for. It appears that the cameras around Deeks' place had a malfunctioning almost the entire day yesterday, so we're completely blind about what happened from 8.00am yesterday morning to 9.00pm yesterday night"

Kensi swallowed hard, she was outside her partner's apartment, waiting for him to come back, around 8.30pm, so both Nell and Eric might have seen what happened between them. She closed her eyes, bowing her head, missing the tech's eyes on her.

"You said you had something for us though" Sam asked, intervening, looking at the screen that took life.

"Sadly we don't have good news. This is the preliminary report of the coroner and of forensics" it was Nell who spoke "According to the ME, Abbott has been killed between 5.30pm and 7.00pm, cause of death is a knife wound to his back. From the dimension and inclination of the wound, it has been inflicted by someone 6'0"-6'4" tall… probably right handed, using a lot of strength. And Abbott has been in a fight… a fist fight to be more precise. The knife has been retrieved just few meters away from Abbott's body… and there was only one set of fingerprints on it…"

"Deeks'" Sam said gravely.

"But this doesn't exclude that someone stole the knife from his apartment and killed Abbott using gloves…" Eric pointed out, not wanting at all to believe that a good friend like Deeks might be an assassin.

"Yeah… of course, if only we could prove it though. Without the camera footage, we can't help him at all…" Callen stated, shaking his head. He didn't like at all, everything, every evidence, every detail led to Deeks, but… Deeks was a cop and a very good one, if he truly wanted to kill someone, he wouldn't be so stupid to do it, leaving all those tracks behind… not that he believed that though, not for a second.

"Guys, Deeks' story has too many blanks, he doesn't have an alibi… the place where Abbott has been found is just few blocks away from his apartment and he had all the time to kill Abbott and go home…" Nell started, getting a cold glance form everyone in the room "I'm simply stating the obvious" she protested "And Kensi you were there… he showed up few minutes after 9.00pm…."

"I don't know what you're implying Nell… but Deeks didn't kill anyone!" Kensi's voice was cold as ice, but her eyes could incinerate everything.

"But…"

"Stop it, Nell!" Eric shocked everyone rising his voice, it was the first time all of them had seen him getting so mad "Stop it…" he continued softening his tone "We're talking about Deeks… we all know that he's not capable of doing something like this. Stabbing someone in the back… it's a vile act and Deeks is nothing but vile…"

"I want to believe it… my heart wants to believe it, but I have this logical mind that is shouting at me, that there is no other explanation…" Nell felt four pair of eyes on her, she couldn't help herself and change her nature.

"So just believe what you're heart tells you, because it's your heart that knows Marty Deeks… not your logical mind…" the tech went on talking, a bit hurt because of his friend's behavior. He had a logical mind too, a very technical one, but no matter what people might tell him, he will never believe that Deeks could be a killer. Never.

The petite analyst's eyes barely held the tears at Eric's words "I'm… sorry… it's just that… I… I know he's innocent, for real… but I hate when I can't understand, when I can't find anything…"

Silence fell in the room, they all knew what she meant; they were at a dead end, all the evidence led to Deeks. Everything pointed at him. No matter how deeper they dug, they came up with the same result, with the same mere truth.

"There must be something we can do" Kensi said out of nowhere "I don't intend staying here waiting for him to be sent to jail… you all know what it would mean for him going there! He… might not…" her voice cracked, unable to go on.

She felt Sam's reassuring hand on her shoulder, but it was hard calming her. Almost impossible.

They all knew what she meant and a new sense of dread pervaded their hearts at the simple thought.

"Nell, I want you to run a detailed search about Detective Wade Abbott… don't leave anything to chance. Every little detail must be important, even the one that seems the most insignificant" Callen suggested, giving the analyst a nod to let her know that they had forgiven her little moment of weakness she had "And Eric, I want you to track Abbott's movements from the moment he left Davidson's house until his death… Camera feeds, witnesses, images… everything. I need to know where he went, who he met, whoever he talked to… everything. I know that he was a LAPD detective, but I need to know if he made some phone calls, who he called… there must be something…"

There was a desperate note in the team leader's voice, something no one was used to hear, but this case hit too close to home, it was too important to all of them.

"What about us, G? Where do we start?" Sam asked his partner, knowing him so well, he knew that Callen had a plan, that something was moving in his brain.

"First we go to 10th precinct to talk to Abbott's co-workers… someone so nice as Abbot was, must have someone who didn't like him that much" the blue eyed man stated, sighing heavily. He truly hope to find a lead or at least something that could move the investigation away from Deeks.

"And what about me? I can't stay here, doing nothing" Kensi wondered, her voice filled with a begging note.

"You can go home, my dear… take a shower and get a good night of sleep" Hetty told her walking inside the room "Tomorrow we'll discuss about your involvement in this case"

"My involvement? Hetty we're all involved… it's Deeks. He's one of us" she protested vehemently.

"Miss Blye, before you could protest, I was planning to offer you to visit Mr. Deeks tomorrow morning, but if you think that it would not be necessary…"

"What… visit him… I thought that… I thought that no one could see him until he's been interrogated by the cops" the female agent was puzzled, even if deep inside herself, she must know that nothing might be taken from granted when Hetty Lange was involved.

"Let's just say that I called for some… favors. The Police is interrogating Mr. Deeks in this very moment, but I don't think they will get a lot out of him, since his lawyer suggested him not to say anything, for the moment. Tomorrow… well, it will be another day and you my dear will be able to see him. I think it will be a mutual benefit, for the two of you" the Operations Managers smiled kindly, knowing how much this opportunity will make Kensi happy.

"Hetty, I… I don't know what to say… I…" she paused, biting her lips nervously "Thank you"

"Oh don't thank me, my dear… just use the time you will have, usefully"

"Hetty, have you talked to him?" it was Sam who moved the conversation to another topic, deep inside he didn't want to embarrass Kensi letting her know so obviously that all of them knew what happened between her and Deeks.

"Yes and he confirmed his version of the facts… he admitted he had the fight with Abbott though, telling me that it happened around 4.00pm outside the precinct" Hetty answered, moving her attention to Eric "Mr. Beale I think you can find some footages about it"

"I am already working on it, Hetty, but it will take time…" the tech admitted a bit guiltily.

"Just do whatever you can as fast as you can, Mr. Beale" the Operation Manager knew that the tech will do everything he could, but she would like to be it sooner than later. They were running out of time.

"How was he doing, Hetty?" Kensi asked, biting the inside of her lip, trying to hide her nervousness.

"I tried to reassure him that we're doing everything we can to help him out" the Operations Manager said knowing very well that this was not what her agent wanted to hear.

"Hetty… please…" Kensi's eyes couldn't hide her concern, her guilt. She needed to know and she needed the truth.

"Miss Blye, don't cross your bridges before coming to them… tomorrow you'll see him and you'll be able to talk to him" Hetty hadn't been sure it was a good idea to let Kensi visiting Deeks, but after seeing the way she was consuming herself with guilt and the way he was craving to see her after what happened at his apartment, she had decided to give them an opportunity. They deserved one…

"I…" the younger agent was confused and she didn't really know what to think. She was aware that she might sound childish, but she wanted things back to normal… she simply wanted her partner back.

"Ok, I assigned Davidson's case to another unit but I think you all have some work to do… and please do it in the best way possible. I don't need to remind you that Mr. Deeks needs our help" the Operations Manager underlined, reasserting what everyone probably knew already "And Miss Blye, I warmly suggest you to go home and relax. I can imagine it's been a very stressful day… and I don't accept a no as an answer"

"But, I.. . I would like to…"

"Miss Blye, I thought I have been clear enough" Hetty walked closer to her agent, smiling kindly, with motherly affection "Go home, please. I'll see you tomorrow morning at 9.00am at the precinct"

Kensi cast one last look at her teammates, before turning on her heels and reluctantly walked out of Ops.

Callen watched her leaving, studying her intently "Do you think she'll be all right?" he asked the Operations Manager skeptically.

"Would you be all right if you were in her shoes?" the diminutive woman said gravely, shaking her head, upset because of the whole situation. She hated having her hands tied in this way "Now, if you all could go back to work, I will really appreciate it…" and with that she left Ops herself, mumbling something incoherently to herself.

"Gah… what a mess…!" Sam exclaimed passing a hand over his face.

"I know… but we can still fix it, so… let's do it" his partner patted him on his shoulder walking out of the room as well.

Once they were alone, the two techs remained silent for a while, until Nell started "Eric, I… I am sorry, I shouldn't have to… I mean I…"

"He didn't do anything wrong, Nell…" Eric simply said, considering the conversation over, then smiling, he added "So, let's find a breach in Abbott's perfect life…"

The petite analyst bowed her head, nodding, glad that he was not still mad at her "You can count on that"

* * *

So will the team find a way to get Deeks out of this situation?

Just let me know what you think...


	7. Chapter 7

Time for a new chapter! thanks to everyone is still reading this story and thanks to Tilly33 who gently offered me her help as a Beta reader (so maybe you should thank her if you won't be forced to read this chapter in my awful English!)

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 7

The detention area of 10th precinct was made up of five cells, all of them empty, except for the one occupied by Detective Marty Deeks. There was an unnatural silence that didn't help his mood or calm the loneliness that was gripping his heart and soul.

He had spent the entire afternoon under interrogation but he had remained silent as his lawyer had suggested until they could find a line of defense that would get him out of this mess. It hadn't been a nice experience in interrogation. Even though he tried to keep his mask of indifference on, the two detectives who were questioning him, Jimmy Morales and Morgan Ross, didn't go easy on him, attacking him verbally in a very heavy-handed way. Deeks thought that if it wasn't for his lawyer's presence, they would have probably released some of their frustration and anger on him.

He sighed deeply, lying on the simple cot. He knew he was not going to sleep at all tonight with too many thoughts running through his mind. He tried to force his mind to focus on something that might relax him a bit, but it was impossible. Every time he closed his eyes, Kensi's shocked face appeared in front of him, haunting him. It hurt a lot.

Hetty's earlier words had reassured him – the fact that the team was working to help him – but deep inside, he couldn't forget about what had happened at his apartment, he couldn't simply erase the sense of betrayal that had pervaded every single cell of his body when she hadn't said a single word to him, when she had simply looked at him, in horror.

"Damn it!" he snapped, punching the hard mattress, sitting up, burying his face in his hands "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" he cried out, mad at himself. "How could you be so stupid to get caught in this damn mess? Damn it!" this time he punched the wall, suppressing a scream when his already hurt hand slammed into the concrete wall.

And all of the sudden, tears started rolling down his cheeks, not because of the physical pain, but for the emptiness he felt in his soul. He was going to lose everything, everything and everyone he cared about. There was no way out.

All of the sudden he saw Kensi's face appear in front of him. She was smiling at him, telling him how much he meant to her while she lay in his arms like they had been that morning, on his couch in his apartment. No, he couldn't do this, he couldn't give up, not yet. He couldn't allow himself to cry like a kid; he had to stay strong and fight because he didn't want everything that was so important to him to be taken away from him. He had fought his whole life, why should he stop now? He was innocent and he was going to do everything he could to prove it.

He got up and started pacing up and down the small cell, trying to clear his mind, trying to find something to cling to, thinking about the events of the last couple of days and once again, his mind stopped on her. He couldn't help himself; she had become such an important part of his life and what happened between them in the last few hours they were together reinforced her importance even more.

"Oh, come on! Focus, Deeks - focus!" he told himself just as the heavy door of the detention area swung open and three men stepped inside. Deeks recognized two of them, Jimmy Morales, the Hispanic Detective who interrogated him in the afternoon, and Morgan Ross, his older partner. The third man, the one he never met, was carrying a tray of food and was waiting behind the other two. He was wearing a uniform, but Deeks couldn't make out his name on the name-tag; he was only able to see the initial of his first name, a S.

"I see you're still awake, murderer," Morales told him, almost spitting on him with disgust.

"Nice to see you again, Morales" the blond detective remarked, narrowing his eyes. His instinct kicked in, screaming that something was not right here. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"Shut up, Deeks and come here," Ross ordered him bossily, with a cold voice. "Put your hands between the bars if you want to get your dinner."

Deeks hadn't realized until that moment that he hadn't eaten anything since his interrupted breakfast with Kensi this morning. His stomach grumbled and reluctantly, he did what Ross told him to do. Passing his hands through the bars, he let his elbows rest on the horizontal bar as a support.

"Tighten that cuff, Morgan!" Morales grinned to the other detective enjoying the moment. "We don't want him to use one of those tricks his federal friends taught him."

Ross handcuffed the blond cop tightly, making him hiss in pain when his already raw wrists protested. "Oh, you're so delicate, Deeks."

Morales opened the cell and walked inside, followed by the third man who laid the tray on the cot.

"It's all yours, Steven," the Hispanic said to the still unknown man, casting a glance at Deeks.

"Hey,what..." the cop didn't even finish what he was saying before a very well delivered blow hit him in his lower back, followed closely by three more. He screamed in agony.

"Not much in the way of a hospitality," he panted as he felt his legs buckling.

The third man, the one Morales called Steven, beckoned to Ross who quickly removed a gag and, with the help of Morales, placed it in Deeks' mouth.

The younger cop wriggled, trying to fight them as panic rushed through his veins, but it didn't work. He was at the mercy of these men so he did the only thing he was able to do: he used his legs and kicked Morales with all of his strength.

The third man, Steven, didn't wait too long to react and kicked Deeks' knee, sending an explosion of pain through his body and made stars appear before his eyes. He would have screamed if the gag didn't prevent him from doing so.

"Leave us alone," said Steven. He was a big man, more or less equal to Sam's build, with grey hair and vicious light blue eyes.

"You have one hour. We don't want to arouse any suspicion." Ross told him, grinning as he helped Morales stand up.

Morales struggled upright with his partner's help. Once stable, he moved gingerly and approached Deeks, grabbing his hair, yanking his head back and slamming it against the bars. "Have fun, bastard." he said as he limped away.

Once the two detectives closed the door to the detention area behind them, Steven walked out of the cell so he could look into the eyes of the blond cop. "I think you're wondering who I am and why I'm here."

Deeks reply was a dulled murmur as he tried to stand on one leg, his other completely out of commission thanks the vicious kick to the knee he had just received.

"They told me you have a smart mouth, but all I can see is the whimpering little boy who killed my brother!" Steven's voice became even harder as he said those few words.

The cop's eyes grew wider in shock. Abbott's brother, this Steven guy was Wade Abbott's brother. He wanted to protest; he wanted to tell the other man that he didn't do anything he had been accused of. That he was innocent.

"Oh, are you protesting? Still fighting?" Steven furiously walked back into the cell, positioning himself behind the cuffed cop. Grabbing the tray from the bed, sending food throughout the cell, he started hitting Deeks on his lower back and on his legs with the makeshift weapon.

Pain seared throughout Deeks' body, blinding him as he fought through the sudden agony. He wasn't prepared for this; he wasn't prepared for all of this hurt.

"You're not so smart anymore, are you?" the big man yelled, once more grabbing the cop's hair, yanking his head to the side, twisting his neck painfully. Whispering viciously in his ear, "You know, this is just a little taste of what's going to happen to you when you end up in a real jail. I only want you to be prepared. And, just so you know, I asked for a few more favors myself... maybe we'll see each other again soon. For the record, you were supposed to receive a visit tomorrow morning, but I think you won't be able to make it since you tried to escape and we stopped you just in time. You're too dangerous; its too much of a risk for us to let you meet with your friends." an evil laugh resounded in the small cell, right before Steven let go Deeks' hair, took a few steps back and resumed hitting him again with the tray.

The cop didn't know how many blows he received, how many times the bigger man hit him. Darkness engulfed him, sending him into a restless oblivion.

"Pathetic," Steven Abbott spat on him, before composing himself. He didn't close the cell behind him, he simply left Deeks with his hands still handcuffed, the gag still in its place."I hope you like tonight's accommodations." and with that, he left.

* * *

"What? Are you kidding me?" Kensi almost yelled unable to contain her anger and disappointment. She had been waiting for the morning to come and now, her plans to see Deeks were ruined. She had spent the whole night trying to prepare herself for this meeting, thinking about what she would tell him, how she would apologize to him. And now, now they were telling her that she couldn't even see him. "Why can't we see him?"

"Please, calm down Missy," Detective Jimmy Morales told her giving her a mocking smile. "We're not allowing anyone to see him until the upcoming trial."

"And who authorized this?" Hetty pressed, stepping closer to the Detective.

"I did." Detective Ross walked into the room, his hands in his pockets, grinning and looking pleased with himself. "The little bast- Detective Deeks tried to escape last night. Fortunately we caught him just in time, right before he could leave the building. Now, after his little stunt, I can't allow him to have any kind of contact with visitors. I think you can understand this without further explanations. It's simple Police protocol."

"Oh, you know where you can put your protocol!" the Operations Manager told him, almost losing a bit of her composure. "Chief Wesley himself gave us permission to see Mr. Deeks and this is what we're going to do!"

"I'm sorry madam, but Chief Wesley was promptly informed of Deeks' escape attempt and he was the one who told me to suspend all of his visitors. I think you should leave now," Morales explained arrogantly, annoying the two women even more.

Without even bothering to reply, Hetty moved away from the two men and, taking out her phone, she dialed Chief Wesley's number. After few minutes of lively conversation, she ended it unable to hide her disappointment "Idiot!"

Kensi had hoped for a moment that her boss could work her magic once again, but when she saw Hetty's reaction, she felt a sense of despair growing inside of her.

"We'll find a way, dear" the older woman told her, noticing her lost expression. She made another phone call, this time to Deeks' lawyer, updating him on the situation.

"Well, well, well… I can see that even your powerful resources are not able to help you here," Morales smirked, staring at the two women in front of him. "I always knew Deeks was dirty, that he was a good for nothing… I am glad that time proved me right."

"Shut up," Kensi was getting restless and her anger was growing. She couldn't stand these men, she couldn't stand them talking about her partner like that, about her friend, about her… she felt a pang at her stomach and for a moment she was afraid she would break down. Deeks was too important to her, he was the man she fell in love with and she couldn't let these men talk about him in such a way. "I said shut up," she repeated coldly.

"Oohh, can you see it Morgan?" Morales looked at Ross, mocking the NCIS agent. "Can you see the fire in her eyes?"

"Oh yes, I can see it!" Ross echoed, laughing. "Such a waste. You're too good for a little piece of shit like Deeks."

This was all too much for Kensi. Before the detectives could realize it, she pushed Ross to the wall, pressing her forearm into his throat and pointing her gun in his face. "Say it again…" she said calmly, her voice clear.

"Wow, calm down, Missy…" Morales rushed to his partner's side and the angry woman currently threatening him, un-holstering his gun as well. "Put your weapon down!"

Kensi ignored him, her eyes locked on the man in front of her. "Say it to my face, come on. Don't be afraid!" she said with an ironic smile curving her lips.

"Miss Blye…" Hetty started, but her agent didn't seem to respond. "Kensi, put it down. You're not helping him in this way."

"I know, but I needed to do it for myself" Kensi released Ross, putting her gun away and walking away as nothing had happened.

"You're crazy!" Morgan Ross said, coughing trying to catch his breath. "You crazy bitch and the little bastard deserve each other!"

This time it was the Operations Manager that spoke directly to him, positioning herself in front of the panting detective. "I warmly suggest you to stop, Detective Ross, because I don't tolerate anyone addressing to my agents in such a manner. So, if you would like to apologize, that would be… perfect."

"You're kidding me!" Even if he was truly afraid of the diminutive woman, Ross tried not to show it. "She attacked me! She pointed a gun at me… I won't apologize to her, not to mention to that piece of shit of Deeks! He killed my friend, in cold blood… Wade knew what kind of man Deeks was and was close to proving it to everyone. Deeks couldn't take it and so he decided to eliminate the source of his future problem! At least he was stupid enough to be caught!"

"Liar!" Kensi remarked, grinding her teeth. "Deeks is… He's not dirty and he didn't kill anyone!"

"Is this your mind speaking or another part of your body, Missy…" Morales intervened grinning, swaying his hips sensually. He was still smiling when Kensi's punch sent him to the ground.

"Jimmy!" Ross shouted watching his partner falling to his knees, holding his face. "Get out of here, before I arrest you!" he yelled at the NCIS agent.

"No way, I'm here to see Deeks… and I will see him!" she told him coldly, moving to the door that led to the detention area. "Open this door!"

"I said get out of here," the Detective's voice became angrier and deeper. "I can ignore what just happened because maybe Jimmy was a bit out of line, but you better go now…"

"And I said that I want to see Deeks. Open the door!" Kensi's tone left no space for a rebuke.

"And, I repeat, I don't have any intention of letting you see him," insisted Ross.

Her eyes were sending daggers to the Detective and her hands curled into balls.

"Miss Blye, we'll come back… I promise you. For now our hands are tied." Hetty said, hoping to calm her agent.

"Yes, Missy. Listen to mama…" Morales murmured angrily, still holding his bloody nose.

"Kensi…" the Operations Manager took Kensi's hand, trying to take her out of the room, but her action didn't get the effect she expected.

Kensi wriggled from her grip and moved towards the door, slapping it with the palms of her hands. "Deeks!Deeks!" she shouted "Deeks! I know you can hear me. I – I will get you out of here! I promise you. You have to believe me, ok?" she prayed that he could hear her, that maybe her words could reach him, that he could respond to her. No sound came from the other side of the door except silence. "We'll get you out. Please, you have to believe me. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry..."

She was trembling, overwhelmed by her emotions fighting hard not to cry in front of these people. A light touch on her back shook her from this state.

"We should go now, Kensi," Hetty spoke gently, understanding what was going through her agent's mind "But as I told you, we'll be back. Have faith."

"Yeah, right." Kensi composed herself, before casting a cold glance to the two detectives, without saying anything more.

"Detective, it's been a pleasure," the Operations Manager told Ross, passing by him, almost killing him with her glance.

The detective swallowed hard; he had heard stories about Henrietta Lange and had always laughed at them, not believing anything about her. But now, his heart had skipped a beat more than once. The woman was even scarier than he had imagined. "I can't say the same," he replied.

Morales watched the two women leave the room, his mouth watering when Kensi passed by him. She was such a sweet looking thing and all he wanted was to put his hands on her, not caring that she was slightly crazy and a bit of a badass… In a funny way, she was exactly what he looked for in a woman. His tongue played with his lips, in excitement.

The NCIS agent noticed his behavior, so she leaned towards him. "Don't you even think about it because next time, I'll aim a little bit lower than your nose and trust me when I tell you, you won't be able to please your lady friends anymore." She winked, leaving the speechless Detective to rethink his thoughts.

* * *

He thought he heard a voice, someone yelling to him, saying his name, but he didn't know whether it had been just another dream or reality.

"Kensi," Deeks thought, opening his eyes. His whole body protested as he tried to move. He was still handcuffed, his hands still through the bars, his forearms supporting his weight, his shoulders straining from the effort.

A muffled cry escaped from his mouth, the gag continuing to choke him, when he forced his legs to work to relieve some of the pressure from his arms. His left knee exploded in a burst of agony, sending cold shivers down his back and he had to lean his head against the bar, panting heavily.

He was still fighting with his uncooperative body when the door of the detention area opened and Ross and Morales stepped inside. The Hispanic had a cotton wool in his nose to stop the bleeding.

"Well, I see you're awake," Ross said, moving towards the cell and working roughly on the handcuffs that clicked releasing the prisoner who fell to the floor, unbalanced. "I hope you had a good night."

Morales opened the cell and walked inside, roughly removing the gag from Deeks' mouth, making him crying out. "Steven went too easy on you," he patted the blond cop's face, laughing at him, before walking out of the cell, locking the door behind him. "But don't worry, soon he'll have a lot of time to take care of you."

Deeks shivered at his words. He didn't know why they had such effect on him, especially because he didn't understand the true meaning of them, but the confident way in which the Hispanic had said them unsettled him. What did they have in mind? What were they planning?

"Oh, I can take care of myself," he smiled, as he forced himself to stand so that he didn't appear weak in front of the detectives."Apparently, I can't say the same for you," as he gestured to Morales' face.

"You know Deeks, I was taking care of your woman," the Hispanic replied, first licking his lips, pretending to be very excited, then he burst out laughing.

Deeks' reaction didn't take too long to come. "Son of a bitch!" he shook the bars with violence.

Ross moved towards him with a cold expression on his face. "You better calm down or I'll call Steven back. And, this time, I assure you, he won't go so easy on you."

The cop ignored him, locking his angry blue eyes on Morales "Don't you even try to touch her." He was not sure, but he saw something in the Hispanic's eyes that resembled a veil of fear and so he knew. A big smile brightened up his whole face - "She punched you!" – and his laugh resounded in the room. Still laughing and limping, he moved towards the cot, where he sat down heavily. He felt so tired and his whole body ached, but he couldn't let them see him like this. He wanted to look confident in spite of everything.

Morales ground his teeth, angry that the cop had found out about his little lie.

"Don't worry, Jimmy, and don't be ashamed," Deeks continued teasingly. "You're very lucky she didn't kill you." And with that, he pulled his legs up and onto the small bed and lay down, closing his eyes.

"Laugh while you can, Deeks. Soon you won't have anything to laugh about anymore!" Ross told him, turning on his heels and walking out immediately followed by Morales.

Once again, Deeks found himself all alone and his mind drifted away. He didn't dream it… Kensi had been there, talking to him through the door. She hadn't abandoned him in spite of his arrest. A new sense of hope pervaded every cell of his body. If she was out there, trying to find a way to get him out, well… Maybe everything wasn't completely lost.

His mind concentrated on the sound of Kensi's voice, on her face. It had been just one day but he missed her, he missed her presence beside him, he missed talking with her, joking with her… kissing her.

These thoughts surrounded him and despite the pain coursing through his back, his knee and his whole body, he finally fell asleep.

* * *

When Hetty and Kensi stormed back into Ops, everyone knew that things hadn't gone as expected. The young agent left her bag on her desk and rushed towards the shooting range, while Hetty walked towards her office where she made herself a cup of tea.

"Should we check on her or is it better to leave her be for a while?" Callen asked approaching the Operations Manager's desk and taking a seat.

"I warmly suggest you all leave Miss Blye alone for a while. She'll come back to us when she's released the tension of the last few hours."

"What happened?" the team leader studied the diminutive woman intently, noticing an almost imperceptible twitching of her mouth, the only sign of her anger.

"We were not able to talk to Mr. Deeks. According to the two detectives who spoke to us, he tried to escape last night and so they are following Police protocol by not allowing him any visitors until the trial."

"What? Are you serious?" he asked confused.

"Are you serious about the fact that Mr. Deeks tried to escape or that they are not letting us see him?"

"If this is a trick question, Hetty, I'm not up for it," Callen remarked not liking what he was hearing. "I am sure that those idiots at the Precinct are applying the protocol, following it word by word. But Deeks, trying to escape?"

"Desperation can make you doing stupid things," the older woman said, sipping her tea.

The blue eyed man simply lifted his eyebrows, not very convinced that what she had just told him was exactly what she thought. Knowing her, it was the exact opposite. He himself didn't think that Deeks was stupid enough to do something quite so idiotic as trying to escape. It would mean he was admitting his guilt.

"Mr. Callen, how was your trip to 10th precinct?" Hetty changed the subject.

"Not very well. Abbott was an exemplary cop with an exemplary record and it seems that everyone loved him." Callen started "On the other end, Deeks was not as universally liked…" he sighed deeply.

"Oh yes and Detective Abbot is dead and Mr. Deeks has been accused of his murder" Hetty slammed her cup back down on the saucer in such an uncharacteristically rude display of anger, even for her. "Abbott was an angel and Mr. Deeks is the devil… oh bugger."

"We found the two officers who separated them when they had the fight outside the precinct. They are both very young, probably fresh from the Academy." Callen passed one hand over his face, a clear sign that things were not good "And they both agreed that they had a hard time pulling Deeks away from Abbott and that, even when they did it, the two men continued arguing. They were still arguing with each other even as they were going their separate ways."

"This means nothing! It is one thing to argue, to throw some punches; it is another to kill a man. We all know that Mr. Callen and the police know that too. They simply want their scapegoat and the fact that they found one in Mr. Deeks is just a bonus for them."

"Have you talked to Bates?" Callen wondered, remembering that the Lieutenant was still, officially, Deeks' direct superior. "I know he never liked Deeks too much, but he is not stupid and he can recognize a good cop when he sees one."

"Lieutenant Bates is in Europe on an important tactical and procedural exchange. He won't be back until the end of the month," Hetty sighed heavily. Calling Bates had been her first move.

"Damn it!"

"Mr. Callen, maybe it's better if you…" Eric's appearance caused the Operations manager to pause."Yes, Mr. Beale?"

"I… I think there's something you should see," the tech said, his expression grave.

"What's up Eric?" Callen pressed, sensing the uneasiness in the younger man.

"I think it's better if you… if you all come to Ops"

"Ok, just give me a few moments to get Kensi," the team leader stood up, exchanging a heavy glance with Hetty. His stomach clenched as he read the deep concern in the older woman's expression. He tried not to think about it, but the unsettling sensation accompanied him until he reached the shooting range.

"Go away," Kensi told him without even looking at her friend that had just walked into the room.

"Kensi, I'm not here to talk to you or to try to make you feel better. We'll discuss it later," he paused studying her intently, seeing the tension in her shoulders and the nervousness coursing through her whole body "Eric wants us in Ops. He found something."

Hope brightened her expression, but it died immediately on her lips, when she looked more closely at Callen."What? Callen, please, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, Kens, but from what I could read on Eric's face, he doesn't have good news."

Kensi closed her eyes, hoping to keep her emotions at bay. She hated this situation, hated being so useless, hated her inability to help her partner when he needed her the most..

"I only want to prepare you for what he's about to say." He couldn't hide his concern for her, nor for his whole team.

Kensi bowed her head, biting her lip nervously. "Thanks," she said, moving towards the door."Let's go."

* * *

I know I'm sorry, no Kensi and Deeks reunion as you all expected. Soon there will be one though, I promise you ;)

As always I appreciate your opinions, good or bad, so please let me know. Thanks in advance!


	8. Chapter 8

I hope you all had a nice Christmas (or a good day if you don't celebrate it).

Time for a new chapter. Big Big thanks to Tilly33 for her help! It means a lot to me (and probably to you too LOL!)

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 8

When they arrived at Ops, the rest of the team was already there, waiting for them.

"Mr. Beale, please," Hetty told the tech, taking a deep breath.

"Well, I found a way to hack into Abbott's computer, the one he had in his office. I was looking for something that could help Deeks," the tech's eyes landed on Kensi and a hint of guilt veiled his expression when he met her eyes. "I am sorry,…"

"Eric, what did you find?" Sam intervened, not liking the tech's expression at all.

"We found this," Nell answered, coming to help her friend. "These are some files that we found in Abbott's computer. They include everything he found on Deeks, on his personal life, on his career… the man was absolutely obsessed with him."

"At least this can be used against him," Callen stated, sensing that things just became more complicated and this was not the real reason they were all here.

Eric tapped on his tablet and new files appeared on the big screen. "I don't know how Abbott got them, but these are all the account details from Deeks' bank account, not his personal one, but the one linked to his alias when he worked the Murillo case. These are the payments he received from Murillo directly or better, from one of his cover companies…"

"Well, technically he worked for Murillo during that op, it should be normal that he was paid for his work," the ex-Seal said, narrowing his eyes as he focused on the screens.

In the meantime Kensi was simply looking at the numbers on screen, her mind not focused on what was going on around her. She seemed distant, so much that she didn't realize Hetty was scrutinizing her, shaking her head.

"The problem is," Nell began, clicking on her keyboard so that some numbers were now highlighted on the screen. "He received these payments three months before he started working on that operation…"

"No, I can't believe it," Kensi cried out, clenching her hands around the desk she was leaning on.

"…and they continued for five months after the operation ended," Eric concluded while staring at the screen, unable to look at his friends and feeling extremely guilty.

"The bank account had been inactive until three months ago, when some money was deposited again We're working to find out who is behind the transfer" Nell finished, her voice not more than a whisper.

Silence fell in the room as no one knew what to say.

"No! This is a set up - it's not true!" Kensi began to laugh hysterically. "Come on, it's Deeks! You can't really believe he is a dirty cop?!"

"Kensi" Sam moved towards her, touching her arm, but she wriggled away from him.

"No! Guys, tell me you don't believe this!" She knew she was begging the others. Her breath became more heavy and she could feel the tears forming in her eyes.

"Kensi, we… I'm sorry," Nell bowed her head, repeating what Eric had just said.

"NO!" this time Kensi yelled. "I… this is not true! It can't be true! You can't believe that!" and before anyone could say anything she rushed out of Ops.

Silence fell over the room once more as they all tried to avoid eye contact with one another, all of them feeling guilty about not believing in Deeks' innocence.

Nell turned as if to follow Kensi out of the room, but Sam stopped her.

"I've got her" he said, nodding towards Callen before leaving.

Callen sighed heavily, burying his face in his hands. "What a mess…"

It was Hetty that tried to bring order to the situation. "Mr. Beale, I need you to double check what's in Abbott's folders, I need you to see if there's anything out of place. Something, anything that could be of any help. If this is a set up, I want to know who did it. And I want to know as soon as possible!" She knew that her tone might be a little too harsh, but her team needed to be shocked so that they would focus on the task at hand. "Miss Jones, try to find out everything about the second transfer and who's behind it. And when I say everything, I mean everything," she paused, closing her eyes before speaking gravely "…and check all of Mr. Deeks' personal bank accounts."

"Hetty, you can't think that…" her team leader protested lightly.

"No, I don't think so, but it's the only way to know for sure if we really want to help him," she said. And with that, she turned on her heels and without saying anything else, walked out of the room.

Eric and Nell stared at Callen, puzzled and confused, waiting for a sign from him.

"You heard Hetty. You have a job to do," he said, once again allowing his hand to pass over his face as he repeated to himself "What a mess, what a damn mess."

* * *

Kensi didn't know whether she was more disappointed or angry with her team – _their_ team. How could they even think that it was true? She knew Deeks, she knew the kind of man he was. He would never do anything like that. The words _dirty cop_ and _Marty Deeks_ didn't belong in the same sentence. In spite of everything his fellow police officers had thrown at him, Deeks loved being a cop; it was who and what he was. He would never betray that because that would mean betraying himself and and everything he believed in.

She didn't know how she got there but she found herself at the fortunately empty gym. Her first instinct was to take out her frustration against the punching bag, but she kept walking towards the farthest corner of the gym, finally leaning against the wall and letting her body slide down until she sat on the concrete floor, her head coming to rest on top of her bent knees in front of her chest. "Damn it, Deeks! This is not fair!" she whispered, fighting the hundreds of emotions overwhelming her heart.

She remained in the same position for she didn't even know how long, her mind drifting over all the fun and funny moments she had shared with her partner in this same room; all the teasing and the bickering. She was still thinking about Deeks when she sensed a presence in front of her.

"Did you pick the shortest straw?" she asked without even lifting her head.

"Kensi…"

"Go away Sam!" she snapped, finally raising her eyes to look at her teammate. "If you're here to tell me that I have to start thinking that he's guilty, well, go away because I'll never believe it! Never!"

Sam didn't answer her outburst, simply sitting next to her on the floor. "Kensi, give us some credit," he started softly. "You left without giving us an opportunity to reply."

"And listen to you all telling me that he was on the take, and that I never realized it just because I was blinded by… that I…" she couldn't go on anymore. All the stress of the last few days hit her like a train. Tears started falling down her cheeks and she wasn't able to stop them anymore.

The ex-Seal guided her into his big arms. "No one thinks that about you Kensi and no one thinks that about Deeks."

"I know him Sam, he's not that kind of man. He would never do anything like that. Never. He'd die before becoming a cop who could do that," her words came out in a rush. "Sam, there must be something we can do. I hate being so helpless. I hate being here knowing that he's in that damn cell because of something that he didn't do while everyone else is saying the complete opposite. We have to get him out of this Sam. What if…" her voice broke and she couldn't go on.

"We are all working on this Kensi and we won't stop, I promise you, but things like this can't be solved in a night. There is too much evidence, too many facts, too many details against him and it will take time to investigate them one by one, to destroy this big castle of lies someone has built around him" Sam spoke vehemently. He hated the fact that even in spite of all of their effort, they hadn't found a single thing to help their friend and he was getting frustrated too. Seeing Kensi in this state made things only worse.

She looked at him, seeing the sorrow in her friend's eyes and she felt relief. For a moment she had feared she was alone, that the rest of her team believed that Deeks was guilty. "I don't want to think what may happen if he ends up in jail. I've had such a bad feeling since this morning. Call me paranoid, but… I don't know, it's like I can feel that something is wrong with him, that… I'm his partner, Sam, I should have his back and I can't do it from here. He's alone. Can you imagine what this is doing to him or could do to him?"

Sam knew it wasn't the right moment, but he smiled. He smiled at the clear display of her affection towards the shaggy haired detective, at the love that shone through her words, from every gesture she made. But most of all, from her eyes. The two of them, Deeks and Kensi, had gone through a lot together and day after day, they got closer and closer. He didn't know how and when it happened, but he was sure that Deeks and Kensi were so much more than partners and friends. He would have been happy for them, in any other situation, but right now, it only fueled his anger. "Kensi, beating yourself up won't help him and it won't help you either. Deeks needs you focused on figuring this mess out."

"I need him, Sam," she admitted candidly, like it was the most natural thing she could say, "Like I have never needed anyone else in my life."

The big man felt a pang in his heart at seeing his usual badass friend, so fragile and desperate with all her defenses down. In this moment, he realized what could happen if Deeks would end up in jail and how it would affect Kensi and the entire team. He was not able to soothe and comfort her; only having Deeks back could do that. He simply wrapped her in a tight embrace and held her close.

"Thanks Sam," she said, feebly, with a childish voice so uncommon for her, so out of character.

"Feeling better now?" he gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Yes, but… " her throat was dry all of the sudden and the words didn't come out easily. "I wish I could have talked to him, that I could have told him I made a mistake, that... that I could have told him how much he means to me."

"Kensi, believe me, I understand. I know how you feel" he wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes, giving her another reassuring smile. "And I'm sure he knows exactly how you feel."

"I wish I wasn't so stupid to doubt him and hurt him," she bit her lip nervously, remembering once again what happened at Deeks' apartment. "I will never forgive myself for that, Sam. Never."

"Ok, stop it now. We'll get him out soon and you'll have all the time in the world to sort things out. No matter how much I joke with him about it, Deeks is not stupid and he will understand. Trust me." The ex-Seal grinned cunningly before speaking again "And don't worry, I'll make sure that he understands myself,"

This time Kensi couldn't suppress a chuckle.

"Oh, this is the Kensi I like!" Sam told her softly, standing up once more. "Now, why don't we go back to work? I think we have a lot of things to do if we want him back. Man, I never thought I'd ever say that! "

The smile on her face was full and reached her eyes, making them sparkle. "Thank you, Sam"

"Anytime Kensi, anytime," the big man put an arm around her shoulder and guided her away from the gym, determined to help his friends in any way.

* * *

In spite of their best intentions, more than a week had passed and the team still didn't have anything concrete to work with. Every time they thought they had a lead, they found out it was a dead end; or, worse yet, what they did find became more incriminating for Deeks.

Hetty continued trying to find a way for them to visit with Deeks but all requests were denied. Only his lawyer had been allowed to see him and even he faced reduced visitation hours. What he reported back to the team was far from what they wanted to hear.

"What do you mean the trial is next week? Isn't that fast? I thought we had more time," Callen wondered aloud, disappointed that they didn't have more to offer in way of a defense.

"I am sorry, Agent Callen, but the authorities think that they have damning evidence against him. They want to prosecute and obtain a stiff sentence" Vincent Marelli, Deeks' lawyer, explained. He had been the DA during Tan's trial and over the course of the trial, he had developed a strong relationship with Deeks. When he heard that he was in trouble, he asked Hetty if she would allow him to represent Deeks.

"Yeah, I can understand it but it hasn't given us enough time to find something useful to help Deeks" Sam replied, frustrated and worried. The idea of a quick trial didn't sound right and gave him a bad feeling.

"Mr. Marelli, you haven't told us yet how Mr. Deeks is doing, " Hetty intervened, casting a quick glance to Kensi who was biting her lip nervously. She could see how her agent was on the edge of a breakdown. She was not sleeping properly and was working hard, day and night, chasing down every lead they had.

Marelli sighed heavily, bowing his head "He's holding up well, but…"

"But what?" Kensi couldn't wait anymore, she needed to know how he was coping with this situation and she needed to see Deeks for her own mental health.

"He never said anything, but," the lawyer's expression darkened, becoming graver, "I am pretty sure they are not making his life very easy."

"Is he hurt?" the female agent insisted as anger grew inside of her.

Marelli didn't answer, he simply bowed his head, looking at the paper on the desk.

Kensi felt her heart rushing, almost exploding in her chest, as the tears formed in her eyes. Without saying anything, she stormed out of the room. She needed some fresh air; she needed to breathe, but it was hard with the heavy weight on her chest.

Her teammates watched her leave, understanding what hearing about Deeks in jail meant to her. For a moment silence fell in the room as they each began to process what they had just heard.

It was Hetty who spoke first, asking the question everyone wanted to ask and relieved that Kensi was not there to hear it. "Is he hurt badly?"

"He never told me but I saw him favoring his left leg and he cringed whenever he moved" the lawyer said. Marelli had asked for a doctor to check on his client, but he didn't know whether they would actually allow one to visit him.

"Marelli, honest answer" Callen started, swallowing hard. "What are his chances at this point?"

Marelli passed a hand through his dark hair, closing his eyes. "Not good. Not good at all. They have solid evidence and we have nothing to work with. Only his word. I had hoped his record as a police officer and liaison agent would help his case, but…"

"But… Come on Marelli! We simply need to know what he's potentially looking at. What we're going to face!" Sam was nervous, he didn't like the fact that the lawyer was not giving them a straight answer, that he was beating around the bush.

"If the jury believes there were extenuating circumstances, he will be lucky if he gets out of this with a 20 year sentence," Marelli admitted, unable to look at the people in front of him.

Everyone was in shock. They thought that there might be some hope, but this was worse than everyone could think about all of this.

"Worst case scenario?" Hetty wondered, closing her eyes.

"Life sentence" the lawyer told them, with a feeble voice "And sadly, at the moment, this is the most probable scenario."

"Damn it!" Callen slammed his fist on the desk, venting his frustration, losing his usual composure. This was far worse than they all had hoped: this meant the end of his team. There must be something they could do - they had to find something.

"My exact sentiment, Mr. Callen," the Operations Manager echoed sounding more worried than she wanted to appear.

"What can we do now?" Sam asked, but even his voice couldn't hide his deep concern. He was afraid that with Deeks in jail, the team might just fall apart.

"We do what we are able to do. Our job," Hetty stated gravely. "Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna, you two go through everything we have about this case, read everything. I don't care if you have already done that hundreds of times, do it again. Mr. Marelli, please be sure that a doctor visits Mr. Deeks – I don't want him needlessly suffering," she concluded.

"What about Kensi?" Callen wondered, casting a glance at the door that his friend had stepped through just few moments ago.

"I'll take care of her after I have spoken with Director Vance and Chief Wesley. I have some complaints for both of them," the Operations Manager nodded seriously, not liking the fact that even with her influence, she hadn't obtained what she had wanted. "Now, back to work!"

Marelli, Sam and Callen walked out of the room. "Is she always like that?" Marelli asked quietly, hoping Hetty couldn't and wouldn't hear him.

"Oh trust me, this is nothing. You really haven't seen what Hetty Lange is capable of yet," the blue eyed man affirmed, grinning.

Marelli was thoughtful for a second, then he added "Well, I can't wait to see it then!" When he felt the two men's eyes on him, looking at him with puzzled expressions, he added "For Marty's sake. God only knows how much help he truly needs."

* * *

As Vincent Marelli had suspected, LAPD and DA wanted to put an end to this case as soon as possible for two reasons: to show the community how quickly and effectively they could deal with these kinds of cases and to prove to the local community that they were not nearly as incompetent as public opinion might think. With a solid case against Deeks, the trial date was set for five days later.

Deeks cast a glance at the suit Hetty had sent for him to wear. He couldn't help himself, but he smiled. It was the same suit he had worn during the whole Chameleon affair, when he and Kensi had gone undercover in the bank.

His heart skipped a beat thinking about her. He missed her so much. He had almost lost count of how many days had passed since the morning in his apartment, but he was convinced he could still feel her scent on him. He knew it was impossible, but he also knew that he was just trying to cling to something that would keep him sane.

His fellow police officers didn't make his life easy. Ross and Morales continued to pay him visits, venting their frustrations with him on his body. Deeks had gone on only because he knew that today he was finally going to see Kensi and the team. According to what Marelli had told him, the team was working day and night to get him out. No one was disappointed or mad at him. No one truly believed he was guilty and this was everything he needed to know. After his arrest, he had briefly worried that he would be ignored and left alone; the fact that they were still supporting him warmed his heart.

He got up and washed his face in the small sink in his cell, rubbing away the last bits of the sleepless night he had just spent. He started dressing, mentally preparing himself for the trial. Deeks couldn't deny that he was nervous - hell, he was terrified - he didn't want to lose everything he had for something he didn't do.

He took a deep breath as he put on the white shirt, finding that it was larger than he remembered. When he was finally ready, he sat back on the cot, waiting for someone to come get him. It had been days since he had left the cell and only then, it was to be interrogated or to talk to his lawyer. He couldn't deny that he was starting to feel a bit restless.

He missed his morning run and he missed the sea, surfing especially. Damn it, he missed his life!

"No, no, no! Don't panic!" he told himself, getting up abruptly, grumbling to himself. "Just don't panic."

Deeks had never thought much about what could happen, but now, he started to realize that his life could change radically: if he went to jail, nothing would ever be like before. Nothing.

He was still lost in his thoughts, when the door to the detention area opened and his two _friends_, Ross and Morales, walked in.

"Time to go, Deeks," the Hispanic told him. "Come over here, back to the bars and hands behind your back."

A hint of fear rushed through Deeks' veins. He hated being unable to defend himself and he knew he was exposed to them in this way.

"Don't be afraid, you little bastard!" Ross approached the bars showing the handcuffs to the prisoner. "Your heard Morales. Come over here, quickly!"

Reluctantly, the cop did what he was asked. Morales unlocked and then walked into the cell, grabbed his arms and twisted them painfully, forcefully handcuffing him tightly as usual.

Ross then stepped through the open door of the cell and grabbed Deeks by his arms, pulling him outside.

They guided him through the hallways of the precinct and he could feel the eyes of his colleagues, men and women on him, looking at him with disgust. He knew that he had never had too many friends at the LAPD but this was even worse than he imagined. He was not a criminal - he was innocent! - but no one seemed to care. He was the enemy now, the killer of a fellow detective, a traitor. The looks, the hate, the disgust visible on everyone's face - it hurt a lot.

He was happy when they finally made it outside and he was lead into the back of a police car. After a twenty minute drive, the car finally stopped at the parking lot in front of the Court House.

Ross opened the back door. "Get out!" He pulled Deeks roughly out of the vehicle, his partner quickly moving to Deeks' other side as they made their way into the building and towards the elevator.

"I'm going to enjoy this so much," Morales said out of nowhere, breaking the silence. "You are going to rot in a prison for the rest of your days. And you know what? I'm even going to ask to take your place at NCIS so that I can work with that hot partner of yours. Man, she's got some great legs. And that body…"

Deeks couldn't stand there listening to Morales talking about Kensi like she was a piece of meat. He launched himself against him, slamming him into the wall of the elevator. Too bad he was still handcuffed - he couldn't defend himself.

Morales reacted violently, punching him a couple of times in the stomach, sending him to the ground. "Son of a bitch!" he yelled angrily and only Ross' intervention prevented him from hitting the cop again.

"Easy, Jimmy! Now is not the time – our time will come." Detective Ross stated with a vicious voice, smiling devilishly. "On your feet!" he grabbed Deeks by his arms, pulling him up without too much care.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that," panted the handcuffed cop, breathing heavily.

"And what are you going to do? Kill me? As you killed Wade?" the Hispanic told him, his eyes full of hate.

Deeks didn't answer at all, he simply stared at the detective, his lips curved into a little smirk that said more than hundreds of words.

Morales could not sustain the glance, so he hit Deeks again in the stomach, making him double over once more, crying out in pain.

"Always a coward, Morales," the cop's voice was weak, but his eyes were full of anger. "Hitting someone who can defend himself."

"Enough you two!" Ross almost yelled but he caught himself just as the elevator stopped. He cast a scolding glance at his partner, warning him not to lose his temper again and then dragged their prisoner out into the hall, guiding him to a small room guarded by two Officers in uniform. Once inside, he removed the handcuffs before placing them on again this time in front of him."You stay here and don't go anywhere," he said before leaving Deeks alone in the room.

"Right, like I could go anywhere" Deeks said, mostly to himself, cringing when his midsection protested as he sat on the windowsill looking outside. It had been awhile since he had seen the sun or anything else other than the four walls of his cell at the precinct so he enjoyed the view.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Vincent Marelli walked inside. "Marty, hey. It's good to see you finally out of that cell," he smiled a bit embarrassed. Sadly he knew that this was just temporary.

The cop smiled softly. "Yeah, it's a change."

The lawyer noticed that his client was still handcuffed. "I told them handcuffs were not necessary!" he was clearly upset to see Deeks restrained. "Look, I'm going to find Ross to have him remove the cuffs. In the meantime, I think you deserve to enjoy some company…"

Deeks looked at him, puzzled; he followed Marelli with his eyes as he walked out of the door. When the door didn't close immediately, Deeks confusion increased until he saw someone appear in the doorway. He couldn't believe it. His heart felt like it stopped beating.

"Deeks!" Kensi rushed towards him, engulfing in a tight embrace.

He had a second to react and lifted his arms in the air so he could hug her himself in spite of the handcuffs. "Kensi…"

"I missed you," she said, staring at him, studying every line of his face before gently cupping his face and placing a soft kiss on his lips.

He couldn't believe it: she was here, with him, in his arms, kissing him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was an idiot. I didn't…" she was still talking when his lips found hers again and this time, the kiss was even more passionate.

When they were both out of breath, they finally broke apart. "It's ok, you're here now," he told her in a voice that barely hid his emotions.

Kensi buried his face in his neck, breathing him in and feeling his heartbeat beating madly. Her eyes watered. She was so happy to see him, but sadly she knew that this was just a little moment of happiness before things would get ugly.

"Here," Deeks guided her back towards the windowsill, maneuvering her so she sat on his lap. He winced doing so and breathed heavily as his sore body screamed out.

"Deeks, hey…" she caressed his face, concerned. "Are you ok?"

"I'm… good Fern, just good," he lied, trying to calm his heartbeat.

"No way. Let me see," she started working on his shirt before he could reply. "Oh God Deeks! What did they do to you?" his whole torso and stomach were covered with dark bruises with a few just starting to turn color, a clear sign that they were fresher than others. She moved her hand over them lightly, but he wriggled away from her touch "Deeks…" she pleaded.

"It's ok, Kens. It's ok," he murmured, reaching to kiss her.

"No, it's not ok!" Kensi protested vehemently as tears gathered in her eyes. "Look at you. I… this is not fair! I… I don't know what I will do if…" the words died in her throat; it was suddenly all too much to voice out loud.

He moved his arms from around her and took her hands in his, kissing them softly. "You will get me out. I know, it's just a matter of time," he smiled, but it was such a sad smile that it broke her heart instead of bringing her comfort.

Kensi kissed him again then guided his head towards her shoulder, stroking his hair, running her fingers through it. "I can't live without you Deeks. I can't live thinking that you… that you're accused of something you didn't do, that you're going through all of this…" She moved back slightly and he could see that she was staring at his bruised body. Deeks tried to button his shirt but he was having some trouble with the buttons."Damn it!" he whispered under his breath.

"Here, let me help you," she said as her fingers slid under his and over the buttons the action helping her to try to keep her emotions at bay. "Who did this to you, Deeks?"

"Kens, it doesn't matter. I'm fine," he replied, not wanting to start anything else with Ross and Morales.

"I asked who did it, Deeks. Please tell me. Let me focus on something," she was now crying, unable to stop the tears from falling. Seeing her like that was breaking him and the façade he had put up just for her.

He bowed his head, closing his eyes; he didn't want to cry in front of her either, but the knot in his stomach was getting tighter and tighter. "I'm sorry, Kens. I shouldn't have been so stupid…"

"Shh, don't. It's not your fault. Someone set you up and I have every intention to find out who it was and why, " she reassured him, smiling gently at him.

"With how much they're enjoying it, I think that Ross and Morales are involved somehow," he smirked, before turning serious. "But they're not smart enough for something like this. There's too much planning involved. They're just having fun, taking the vengeance out on me for someone else."

"So, it was them who beat you?" Kensi's eyes were full of hate and determination. Deeks didn't answer; instead he changed the subject slightly.

"What do you have? About this, well, about the homicide," his voice sounded unsteady, as he was afraid to ask.

For a moment she looked away from him. She didn't want to tell him the truth because it hurt her and it was going to hurt him even more.

Deeks chuckled bitterly, his hands were trembling slightly. "Good, very good…"

"Deeks, no… you can't give up," she cupped his face, staring at his ocean blue eyes that she had missed so much.

Not wanting to let her see his desperation, he stood up and began to pace nervously, moving his hands through his hair, his mind lost in his thoughts. Then, all of a sudden, he stopped and knelt in front of her. "Kensi, you have to promise me something,"

She took a look at the expression on his face - the shadow veiling his eyes, the deep worried frown, the tension in his whole body - and she didn't like it. "Deeks, what is it? You're worrying me,"

"Kensi, you have to promise me that if they send me to jail, if the sentence is for …Damn it!" he swore, surprising her. It was not something he did often. "Kensi, please, don't wait for me. I…"

"No! No, no, no! Don't do this Deeks, please don't do it. You can't ask me that! You can't ask me to abandon you when you need me the most," her eyes filled with tears once more. "Please don't ask me that. I can't lose you. I've been looking for someone like you for so long and now that I have you, you can't ask me to let you go. I can't. I simply can't…"

"Kensi, I couldn't bear to think that you'll be here, out in the world, waiting for me when we both know that if I'm convicted, they will send me to jail for the rest of my life. I want you to be happy," Deeks told her, tenderly caressing her face as if it were the last time he would be able to do so. "I can't think that you'll be ruining your life waiting for something that will never happen."

"Stop it!" she yelled, grabbing his hands tightly and squeezing them painfully. She wanted him to stop talking like that, talking like he knew everything was already lost. "I am only happy when I'm with you! How can you ask me to do this? You're everything I need, "

Her words were like daggers in his heart, not that he didn't appreciate them, but because he knew how much she was going to be hurt if things didn't end with his being found not guilty. "Kens, I don't want you to suffer."

Kensi took his hands and pulled him up so that he sat beside her once more on the windowsill. "Stop thinking about me, Deeks. Stop being my knight in shining armor. It's my turn to take care of you. Let me do it. Let me do what I want, please."

Deeks was well aware that this was not a laughing matter, but in this moment, he couldn't help himself. He laughed as he hadn't laughed in ages. "That's my girl! My amazing, stubborn girl!" and without waiting for a reply, his lips claimed hers once more.

"Don't you ever try to push me away again, Deeks, " she said as they finally broke apart. Her voice was full of compassion, of love, but one second later, her lips curved into a smirk as she added, "Or I will kill you myself!"

He smiled back. "Like you can live without me…"

Kensi knew she was supposed to laugh at his joke, but she simply couldn't. "I can't," the raw honesty of her statement and the way their eyes were locked on each other signaled that neither of them wanted this moment to end. Marelli chose this moment to open the door and walked back in, knowing that he was interrupting their reunion.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I finally found the key for the handcuffs," he said, giving the key to Kensi who promptly freed Deeks.

The cop massaged his wrists, wincing when he touched the raw skin. "Thanks," he replied quietly.

She couldn't stop herself and took his hands in hers, noticing how bad his wrists looked. "Son of a bitch," once again, her eyes started to tear but this time Deeks engulfed her in a tight embrace, kissing the top of her head and holding her close. "It's ok, Kens, it's ok. Soon it will all be over," he whispered.

"It's not ok, Deeks. I know it, you know it... I don't want to go, I don't want you to go in there and face those lies and half truths… I need you."

He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes to fight the hundreds of emotions overwhelming his heart. He had wanted to hear those words for so long and now that she was openly admitting her need for him, he was not able to give her anything in return. He wanted so badly to freeze time and stay with her, like this, forever.

"I know. I need you too but we have to believe that there's still hope. That soon everything will work itself out and that we'll finally be together," he wiped away a tear that rolled down her cheek. "Now, give me a smile. I don't want to remember you crying; I want to remember your smile. Just one smile, please, for me."

She smiled the sweetest and most gentle smile she could give him.

Deeks couldn't be more happy. He flashed one of his infamous grins back at her. "That's my girl. That's the girl I love." And with that, he held her in his arms and waited for whatever was coming next.

* * *

Finally the reunion between Kensi and Deeks took place... but sadly things are not very good. Not at all!

As always I'd like to hear your opinions, good or bad. I will appreciate it. Thanks in advance.


	9. Chapter 9

Time for another chapter. Thanks to everyone who spent time reading it, leaving a review or following it.

Once again a big thanks to Tilly33 who is making this easy to read for you all.

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 9

"In the matter of the People versus Martin Deeks, how does the defendant plead?"

"Not guilty, Your Honor," Deeks' lawayer replied, nodding at his client.

And so it started. Kensi felt a sense of pride hearing those words. She was aware that Deeks would never admit to having done something he had never done, no matter what the consequences might be. He knew that by pleading guilty, the sentence would only be harder and longer. He still had some dignity – he would not plead guilty to something he hadn't done - and he wanted to show it to everyone present.

The trial went on for days, days in which witnesses were called and testified, evidence was presented, facts laid out, theories expounded... days in which nothing seemed to go in his favor.

Not even Kensi's testimony had helped, nor Hetty's. Everything seemed to be against Deeks and proving his innocence was getting harder and harder for Marelli, not for lack of trying though. The simple fact was that Marelli and the team didn't have anything solid to cling to

And today was the day in which the Jury would give its verdict.

Deeks could feel his heart almost exploding in his chest; he was not a fool and he had seen so many trials in his life. Only a miracle could save him from going to jail. His mind began wandering and it was funny how images of last minute reprieves from various TV shows flashed in front of him: evidence someone had forgotten was found in a closet; a witness no one knew had existed had been found. He chuckled at the absurdity of it all as there would be no last minute saving for him. It was just him up against something much bigger.

The cop sighed heavily, thinking about Kensi and his friends. He knew they were sitting just behind him as he stood to listen to the verdict. No matter how many times they had told him the opposite, he still felt that he had disappointed them and this hurt more than anything.

The voice of the Judge resounded clearly in the Courtroom as he asked the foreman of the Jury if they had a verdict and to read it aloud. The man's response was even clearer.

"We, the Jury, find the defendant guilty of First Degree Murder, as charged in the indictment..."

Deeks closed his eyes and bowed his head as he felt desperation grip his heart. Everything was lost. There was nothing he or anyone else could do anymore.

The whole room buzzed as many present couldn't contain their happiness. Abbott's family and friends smiled, pleased with the verdict; fellow Police Officers had a satisfied grin on their faces. Only a small group of people remained still, horrified with the verdict. It wasn't that they didn't expect it but they had all tried to keep their hopes high.

Kensi buried her face in Sam's chest as the big man hugged her in a tight embrace while Callen looked straight ahead, unable to react. Hetty sighed deeply, holding the wooden rail in front of her with both hands.

The Judge's voice broke through their thoughts as he said "Thank you. Court will adjourn until

tomorrow morning for sentencing." They watched as the Court Officer took their friends away.

Deeks couldn't lift his head to look at his friends. He was unable to look at them and didn't want to see the pity in their eyes or the disgust. The pity he could handle; it was the disgust that would be even worse and would hurt even more. So he let the Officer take him away in silence.

"Deeks..." Kensi murmured wriggling from Sam's arms but it was too late. Her partner was already too far away for her voice to reach him. Tears veiled her eyes, but she tried to stay strong... she had to be strong or she would go to pieces.

Marelli approached them with a grave expression on his face. "I'm... sorry" he said, clearly embittered by the way the trial had ended.

"It's not your fault, Mr. Marelli," Hetty replied, the only one who was able to find a way to speak even if her own throat was tightly knotted.

"I still think we could have done something more..." the lawyer insisted, clearly upset with the verdict.

"You did what you could. The evidence was too damning. It's our fault as well that we couldn't find anything to help him." Callen finally told him, shaking himself from his almost catatonic state.

"What now?" Sam asked, still holding Kensi in his arms, feeling her tremble. He could only imagine what she was going through. Deeks was their friends, but for her, he was so much more.

"I still hope the Judge will grant him leniency in his sentencing, but at this point I really don't know…" Marelli responded, clearly unsure what would happen tomorrow.

"Mr. Marelli, give us an honest answer, please," the Operations Manager pressed the lawyer.

"Not less than 25 years sentence, I fear," Marelli finally admitted reluctantly.

"NO!" Kensi shouted "You have to do something! This can't be happening! Deeks is innocent. We all know it..." she was fighting the tears, but at this point it was a losing battle.

"Kensi, calm down..." the ex-Seal tried to hold her tightly, knowing how much she needed some comfort right now, but she was like a caged animal, impossible to tame.

"Calm down?" she smiled bitterly at Sam. "Deeks is going to jail for something he didn't do and I should stay calm? What the hell?!"

"Kensi..." Callen started, but Kensi interrupted him.

"Don't try to tell me to control myself, G! I don't want to control myself. I can't do that... I don't want to give up on him, I can't. I need him..."

Sam noticed her legs failing her, so he moved quickly to steady her, once again engulfing her in a tight embrace.

"Mr. Hanna, please take Miss Blye home," Hetty said, closing her eyes. "You should all go home," and with that she turned on her heels and quietly left the court room leaving her team behind.

Callen felt a pang in his heart. In all the years he had known her, he had never seen her quite so dejected. It was probably the first time that she had felt helpless and useless. A new sense of anxiety and desperation hit him; this was not good, not good at all.

* * *

The following morning the court room was even more crowded than the day before. The trial had generated great interest in the community. There were many police officers, a lot of curios people from the community and even journalists dying for a scoop on the big story. There was an insane amount of excitement in the court room and it made the four people standing behind the Defense even more upset.

"Just look at them - they are like sharks stalking their prey!" Sam couldn't hide his disgust at what he was witnessing.

"Yeah, it's just insane! We solved I don't know how many crimes with Deeks' help and now, all he will be remembered as is as that cop who killed another cop. This is not fair, not fair at all!" Callen echoed, uneasiness pervading his body. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so uneasy and he was finding it hard to contain it.

"Life is not fair, Mr. Callen," Hetty replied, frowning. Her eyes were locked on Kensi who was sitting still and in complete silence, waiting for her partner to appear.

Finally, a door opened and Deeks was escorted by the Court Officers into the Court Room. His gaze landed on Kensi, their eyes locking and silently speaking to each other. On his face were the telltale signs of another sleepless night, the umpteenth and sadly not the last.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him. She could see how sorry he was, how sad he was... His blue eyes had lost their sparkle as he was resigned to the inevitable. Kensi wanted to get up and run towards him, to hug him, to lose herself in his arms, but she was quickly stopped by the arrival of the Judge.

After what felt like a lifetime, he finally spoke.

"Mr. Deeks, I have had an opportunity to review the pre-sentence report. I have listened to the sentencing arguments from your attorney and the state's attorney, as well as the statements from the family of the victim, from the witnesses. I have seen all the evidence presented to this Court. Having been found guilty by a jury, it is now up to me to sentence you. The pre-sentence report recommends a sentence of life imprisonment. This Court has the ability to accept this recommendation or reject it and impose a different sentence. The minimum sentence available to this Court is 20 years in prison, the maximum is life. In making the recommendation, the Probation Officer noted that your crime was particularly heinous. Not only was there pre-meditation involved in committing the crime, but you did it while wearing a badge. As a Police Officer, you are meant to protect people, not kill them. Your behavior during and after the crime strikes me as cold, calculating and without remorse. However, the report also noted that you have no prior convictions, but that doesn't excuse the crime you committed in killing Detective Abbott."

Deeks was listening carefully to the Judge while a sense of anger grew inside of him. This was an injustice and he couldn't do anything about it. His hands curled into tight fists, his knuckles whitened for the effort. His jaw tightened.

Kensi could see the sudden change in his posture. She could feel what he was thinking and completely understood his reaction. The image of Deeks that had been presented during the trial was a distorted one. He was not that man: he had a gentle and caring soul and he was the last person who could commit such a heinous crime.

The Judge carried on. "I accept the recommendation of the Probation Department and sentence you to custody of the California Department of Corrections for life imprisonment. You have the right to appeal this sentence but your rights are limited and you must file a notice of your intent to appeal within eight months after sentencing. Your attorney can help you with this filing. I hope that during your incarceration, you will learn to regret your actions and find sympathy for the victim's family. Court dismissed." The Judge rose , as did everyone present in the Court Room, and exited. Applause exploded in the Court Room, led by Ross and Morales, and the other Police Officers who had observed sentencing.

"No, no! This can't be true! Deeks!" Kensi called desperately as she watched as her partner was handcuffed once more.

He simply stared at her, with tears in his eyes, not because of what was going to happen to him, but for her. Deeks didn't like leaving her alone, not after all the men she cared for in her life had left her. He was supposed to be at her side - he was supposed to be with her - always.

The Court Officer was just about to lead him away when Steven Abbott approached him, smiling viciously. "Finally, justice has been done and has followed its course. Prepare yourself, bastard, because we'll see each other soon, very soon. I'll make your life a living hell. I have time. I have an entire life to do that," he patted the cop on the cheek, mocking him.

Deeks was puzzled, he didn't understand the meaning of Abbott's words.

"Oh you're confused, aren't you? Just wait a couple of days and then you'll find out!" Steven laughed out loud as he watched Deeks being led away. Photographers flashes illuminated the room, journalists were trying to get statements and various people in the gallery were hurling insults at Deeks.

When finally he was out of the Court Room, he released the breath he was holding. It was done - his life had definitely changed. In a single moment he lost everything.

"Deeks!" a voice called him, a familiar voice that warmed his broken heart. Kensi was fighting her way to get him, determined to talk to him, to be with him just for a brief moment before they were going to be separated. "Get out of my way!" she said angrily as the Court Officer was trying to stop her.

"Let her through, Marelli said, making space for her to approach.

A second later she was standing in front of her partner, their eyes locked once again. "Deeks..." she whispered, hugging him, pressing his body towards her before breaking the embrace and cupping his face with her palm and kissing him deeply.

When they broke apart, Deeks kissed her on the forehead, sweetly. "Don't cry Kensi, please," his own eyes watered.

"How can you ask me that? I... this is not right. You, you didn't kill him. Your..."

"Shh, please don't. There's nothing we can do to change it at the moment," he told her. He so wanted to touch her, to feel her skin under his fingers, but his handcuffed hands wouldn't allow for it.

"We won't stop looking for a way to get you out. You have to promise me that you won't give up, Deeks. We won't leave you alone, " she couldn't hold herself together anymore, the only idea of the man she loved closed in prison turned her stomach upside down and clenched her heart tightly.

He leaned his forehead against hers, breathing her breath and inhaling her scent, committing it to memory. "I know. But Kensi, if things... If you aren't... If you don't find anything... Don't wait for me. I, I can't bear the fact that you'll be here, waiting for something that will never happen, wasting your life, waiting for me..."

She looked at him incredulously and gave him a light punch on his shoulder, like the old times, but this time it was not as strong as usual. "Shut up, you idiot! We already had this conversation! Waiting for you is not a waste!" she cupped his face, losing herself in his eyes, so full of emotion. "I love you and I will never stop loving you. Just get that into that thick head of yours!"

Even if this was not where he wanted the conversation to go, Deeks felt a wave of pride overwhelming him. Kensi was not giving up on him. She would always be at his side, no matter what. Sighing heavily, he said "I love you too, Kens and I will never stop either. Never!" His lips captured hers in a passionate kiss, until the Court Officer broke them apart.

"Time to go now!" the man said testily, leading Deeks away.

"We'll get you out - I promise," Kensi repeated again as she watched Deeks being led away. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling a sense of loss she had never experienced in her whole life. She knew her heart was breaking into pieces, but she needed to stay strong for him while he was still within sight. She didn't want to fall into pieces in front of him. He didn't need to see her like that. She knew that if he saw that, it would hurt him more than the fact that he was going to jail.

Deeks heard her words and smiled at her as he looked over his shoulder, the last thing he was able to give her before they took him from the building. He saw her smiling back and it was everything he needed right now. It would be what what would help him get through the next chapter of his life. Kensi Blye and her smile. It was everything he had left and it was everything worth fighting for.

* * *

He sat and looked out the window of the transport van that was taking him to the place where he would spend the rest of his life. Deeks studied intently everything he could see, committing every detail to his mind. He watched the ocean and the sun's reflection upon it. He could even see some surfers on the waves and his heart clenched at the idea that he would never smell the salty air again, see the waves again or feel the rush of adrenaline that came while riding the waves. Never. The word sounded so definitive, too much like the end of everything.

He tried to shift in the uncomfortable seat but his handcuffed hands and ankles prevented him from moving too much, not to mention the pain caused by the likely broken rib that Morales and Ross gave him during their last visit. They had called it their "goodbye gift", something he could have lived without! At least he wouldn't be seeing them again, cold comfort since he knew he would endure much worse than that where he was going.

The scenery outside the window changed as the van's route moved inland. At first, Deeks had thought he would be imprisoned in one of the local jails. He hadn't expected to be sent to the Mojave Correction Center, out in the desert, lost in the middle of nowhere. And yet, this would be home for the foreseeable future.

The prison van stopped and as the guards released him from his seat, he was pushed outside along with the other man who had been his companion during the trip. The sun was shining high in the sky and it was very hot. The building looked old, reminding him of some old movies he was used to watch on TV late at night.

"Come on, move your feet!" a guard yelled at him, pushing him towards the entrance.

He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with air. This would be the last time he could do that outside; it was the last moment of semi-freedom he had.

The two prisoners were guided towards a room that looked like an infirmary where a man in a lab coat waited for them.

"I'm Doctor Flemming," the small, bald man told them as a guard freed them from the handcuffs and chains. "Take off your clothes, all of them, and stand where you are," he said approaching the two men. He studied the first prisoner, nodding while checking on him. Then he moved his attention to Deeks. "Uhm..." he murmured dubiously.

"Don't you like what you see?" the cop said, grinning.

"Shut up!" one of the guard moved in front of him, moving the doctor aside. "You can talk only when someone ask you to do it!"

As an answer, he lifted his hands in sign of defeat. Smiling.

The doctor touched Deeks' bare chest, making him cringe when he pressed a bit too hard on his broken rib "It's broken... I bet it hurts" he said, continuing his exploration on the rest of Deeks' body, touching and probing.

The cop shivered sensing the hand on his bare skin, not liking the sensation at all.

"Nice," the doctor said viciously, right before starting bandaging the prisoner's torso.

After several minutes, when Flemming had finished writing his reports, the guards gave the inmates their uniforms which consisted of a pair of blue pants and light blue shirt with their prisoner's number imprinted on it.

"Come on. Next, you have an appointment with Warden Limpkin," the guards told them, leading them towards another block.

The arrived at the building that host the Warden's office; the other prisoner was sent inside first while Deeks waited outside, studying the elegant furniture surrounding him. A few minutes later, he was guided into the office.

"Well, well, well..." said the fat man, greasy hair slicked back and thick glasses on his face. "The infamous Detective Marty Deeks. Or, former Detective I might say," he said, as he walked and paused in front of Deeks, staring at him. Deeks could smell a hint of garlic and cheap pipe tobacco, a combination that invaded his nostrils almost nauseating him. "Just to be clear: you're no longer a cop. You're just a number, no different than any other number of this place. I've read that you have a witty tongue and a bad attitude, but you better learn to behave, because this is not a vacation if you haven't realized it yet. Am I making myself clear?"

"Perfectly clear," Deeks replied in a too-teasing tone that irritated the other man more than a little.

The Warden smiled ironically. "I don't think you've really understood but I won't repeat myself again. This is your first and last warning. I don't like a cocky attitude, it won't be tolerated, not now or ever. So just remember to address to me as sir when you speak to me," he moved even closer, lifting his hand to fist in Deeks' hair, tilting his head on one side painfully. "Do I make myself clear?" he repeated even more viciously.

"Perfectly...clear, sir," Deeks replied.

Limpkin released his grip on Deeks' hair, straightened his suit and walked back to his desk. "Better, not perfect yet, but better. We'll have time to work on that," he smiled sitting at his desk. "I think it's time for you to go to your cell. Stay out of trouble and we'll get along very well. The Chief of the Guards will lead you to your new home. I hope you'll appreciate the accommodations we have for you." As he finished his sentence, the office door opened and a big man, with grey hair and cold blue eyes stepped in.

"I bet you're happy to see me, Deeks. I told you we were going to see each other soon," Steven Abbott smiled, pleased as he dragged the prisoner out of the Warden's office.

Fear rushed through Deeks' veins. This was not what he was expecting and it was certainly not good at all.

"I was looking for a rematch," he murmured hoping not to show any weakness.

"Oh smile while you can Deeks, because I have every intention of making your life a living hell and there's no one here to save you. You're mine and don't you forget it," Abbott winked as he poked the other man in his ribs with his truncheon, making him cringe in pain. "Oh, touched a sensitive spot did I?" he laughed out loud.

"Just a tickle. I know you can do much better," Deeks said, collecting himself.

Steven pushed him against the wall, pressing his stick against his throat. "Oh don't worry, this is nothing. You will really regret what you did. Killing my brother was the worst mistake you've ever made. Believe me, I'm going to have a lot of fun with you and I won't even have to kill you." He released Deeks from his hold and he immediately started coughing "Now walk."

They walked from the Warden's office towards the main building until finally reaching Cell Block D.

"Open up," Abbott ordered the guard at the gate. Two floors of cells could be seen through the gate. As they walked through, Steven called out again "Open Number 114!"

Deeks observed his surrounding sensing the hostility around him as hundreds of eyes scrutinized him. He could hear the buzzing, voices talking behind his back. Exactly what he needed! He wondered how much of this was Abbott's doing or how many of these people he had arrested in the past.

The door of cell 114 opened and he was pushed inside with such force that he almost stumbled to the ground. "Enjoy your stay Deeks and your cell mate. I bet you'll get along very well..." With a laugh, Abbott stepped out of the cell and the door closed immediately behind him. He grinned triumphantly as he walked away.

Deeks studied the small cell, the two beds and what served as a bathroom. There was a man lying on the other cot, his back to him as if he were sleeping. He didn't know why, but Deeks felt his hair stand on end as if there were something familiar about the man. His fears were confirmed when the man turned over to face him and pulled himself into a sitting position.

"Isn't this a nice surprise?" the man said as his lips were curved into a happy smirk. "Long time no see, Deeks."

"Michael Thompson. Right. Really nice..." Deeks remembered the man. It had been his testimony had sealed the case against him and had secured the life sentence he was not serving. Thompson had sworn that he was going to hate him until the day he died…and now it looked like Deeks was going to find out exactly what that entailed.

"Small world, don't you think?" Thompson stood up and approached his cell mate. He was a tall man with a bald head, freshly shaved, and a perfectly trimmed goatee. He was all muscles and tattoos and absolutely intimidating. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun together, don't you think? I wonder if you'll be able to sleep... I have a lot of things in mind for you my friend"

"You haven't changed a bit, have you Michael? You've got the same attitude," Deeks spoke with a smile firmly planted on his face but his eyes were cold and showed no fear or weakness. He knew he had to make a "positive" first impression or it would be the end of him at the hands of someone like Michael Thompson. He walked closer to the other man, looking him in the eyes. "I'm not scared Thompson. Try to touch me and I'll show you some of my own tricks," his voice was sharp as a razor.

Thompson chuckled, amused. "This will make things ever better! I've spent my days thinking about the moment when I would have a chance to exact my revenge on you. It's payback time," he moved his hand to touch Deeks' hair, playfully "This hair of yours will have a lot of... fans here" he yanked at Deek's hair, but he wasn't ready for the other man's reaction.

Deeks grabbed his wrist, twisting his arms and turning it behind Michael's back. At the same time he pushed him forcefully against the wall. "Touch my hair again and I'll break your arm. I'm not a scared lamb Thompson, so be careful yourself!" he released the grip on the man, walking towards his bed, laying down on it.

Thompson massaged his throbbing arm. "You're dead, Deeks. You're so dead," he sat on his bed as well, looking at the cop with pure hatred in his eyes.

Deeks closed his eyes, passing a hand over his face. _You're doing well, Marty. Less than one hour and you've already made friends… _

* * *

Yep, I did it... and now I know you all hate me. I'm getting use to this ;) But at this point of the story it was hard to save Deeks from going to jail... even with all of NCIS connections, at least from my point of view._  
_

Anyway, I'll be glad to hear your opinions, as always good or bad, so let me know what you think. Thanks in advance.

And Happy New Year to all of you!


	10. Chapter 10

I have to say I am a bit concerned about going on posting this story, I heard people saying that they are offended by this and that it's unbearable or not realistic. Ok it's just a story but I didn't mean to offend anyone... so truly I don't know. Another chapter will be up then I'll see.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed and is following it and a big thanks to Tilly33 for her hard job in making it easier to read for you.

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 10

He didn't sleep much during the night, every time he heard Thompson moving in his bed, Deeks's eyes flew wide open and he was immediately alert, but fortunately nothing happened. Sadly he knew that this peace and quiet wouldn't last long. The man was vengeful, not to mention extremely dangerous. When the lights were turned back on in the morning, he sighed with relief then got up to wash his face and use the toilet. When he was done, he felt his cell mate's presence behind him.

"Don't you ever do that again, cop," Thompson spoke with great disgust, almost spitting on the other man. "I will always be the first to use the toilet and I will always be the first to clean up myself. My cell, my rules."

"I didn't see your name anywhere," Deeks told him, mockingly. "And frankly I don't care about any of your rules at all."

They stood facing each other, staring eye to eye for what felt like a lifetime. With a warning bell, the cell door opened and they were called out into the hallway along with the other inmates. It was breakfast time and they were guided to the mess hall.

Deeks couldn't ignore the bad feeling that had him clenching his stomach. He felt everyone's eyes on him as if everyone was ready to stab him in the back. He tried to keep a low profile for the moment, studying his surroundings, the place and the people; this was something he was very good at, his work had taught him very well.

Breakfast was not first class meal: just some bread with milk and a bit of watered-down orange juice. The problem he faced, however, was in finding a place to sit since no one seemed very eager to give him a seat at any of the tables. After several minutes he found a seat at a table in one of the corners.

"You're the cop, aren't you?" a young man approached him. Deeks recognized him as his companion of the transport van. "I'm Eduardo Montero but everyone calls me Eddy. You and I arrived together..." Eddy's sentence hung in the air.

The man had a kind and an open smile and Deeks immediately liked that. "Marty Deeks and I'm not a cop, not anymore."

"Oh I heard about you. When I was in jail, I read about what happened to you. I... Abbott arrested me once. He was not a nice guy - I don't care if you did kill him..." the more he talked, the more Eddy showed his real age. He couldn't have been more than 19 or 20 years old and in spite of all the talking, he was absolutely scared.

"Eddy, hey... shut up ok? I get it. You need someone to be friends with in here, but I am not the right person, ok? I'm not good for you - I'm bad news for you," Deeks said as sincerely as possible. He could understand what the kid was doing, but he didn't want Eddy to get hurt because of him.

"Oh no, you're a cop, Marty. You are not bad news. They are and I can help you," his smile was so childlike, so innocent, that it looked so out of place here.

The cop chuckled, shaking his head. "Why are you here? You don't look like a serial killer," he smirked.

Eddy laughed at the comment "No, I'm just a thief, but this time I got myself in some serious trouble. I helped my uncle transport some... stuff and when the police tried to stop us, the man who was with me shot a cop. Fortunately he's not dead. They gave me five years and I can count myself lucky even if it feels like an eternity."

Deeks sighed deeply, putting down the plastic spoon he was holding. If five years felt like an eternity to the kid, what about a life sentence? "They will pass, and then you'll get out of here. Yeah, consider yourself lucky."

Eddy looked straight into Deeks' eyes. "You didn't kill him, did you? I'm not very clever, but I have seen some many bad guys in my life and trust me you're not one of them. Wade Abbott was far worse than you.."

"Too bad you were not on the jury that condemned me," Deeks' words were full of sorrow; he got up patted the kid's shoulder and left.

"Hey Marty?! Marty! We're friends, aren't we?" Eddy asked plaintively, but Deeks never turned around to answer him.

After breakfast at every inmate was assigned their job of the day and Deeks was not surprised when he was sent to clean the restroom and the toilets. At least he was on his own with time to think and no one around to bother him Everything had happened so quickly that he hadn't yet had the time to figure out his predicament and right now, right here in this stinky room, realization finally hit him. He was screwed, plain and simple. He held the toilet scrubber with anger. They had taken away everything from him, everything he cared about. Everyone - the people he loved, Kensi. His heart started beating madly as flashes of his normal life danced in front of him, as her smiling face appeared. With fury he punched the wall, cried out as his old injury made itself known.

"Damn it!" a silent tear ran down his cheek as he leaned his forehead against the wall.

"Well, well, well. You're supposed to be doing your job, not resting and weeping. What's up Deeks? Do you miss your mama?" Steven Abbott called out, his billy playing in his hands.

"I would be able to do my job if you weren't around. You're kind of in my way," Deeks turned around so he could face the older man. "Are you going to move or what?"

"You're talking too much Deeks, you know that, don't you?" with a rapid movement, Abbott tried to hit the cop in the stomach, but Deeks reacted using the scrubber to protect himself and actually hit the guard on his face instead. Steven wiped away the little bit of blood that poured from his split lip as he slowly stood up. "You'll regret this, you little son of a bitch. This is the last time you will ever land a hand on me."

Deeks didn't foresee what was coming next as Abbott took out a Taser from his pocket and quickly pressed it against his side, making him cry out in pain. Before Deeks had a moment to react, Steven viciously kicked his knee.

Pain exploded throughout Deeks' body with even more surrounding his knee. He could do little more than curl up on the floor, holding his knee.

"That was just a reminder, you bastard," Abbott snarled then kicked his stomach a couple of times for good measure. He knelt back down next to the inmate, staring at him angrily "That was just a taste of my medicine, Deeks. Don't you dare touch me again," he stood up and walked away. At the doorway leading into the restroom, he spoke with Thompson and other two inmates who were waiting.

"Do what you want, but remember, don't kill him. Just go easy on him this time," Abbott requested.

"You can bet on that," Thompson smirked as he stepped through the door and watched Deeks struggle to get up. "I think someone need some help in here," he beckoned to his two companions and they came in, grabbing Deeks by his arms and pinned him against the wall.

"So, not so cocky anymore, eh Deeks?" he delivered the first blow to his stomach, then another to his jaw.

Deeks didn't know how many times Thompson hit him. He was glad when darkness engulfed him and his world went black.

* * *

Kensi woke up feeling pretty excited. Two weeks had passed since Deeks had been sent to jail and today was the day she was able to see him for the first time. It felt like a lifetime since she had last seen him so she couldn't even imagine what it must be like for him. She could not even think about what it meant for Deeks to be imprisoned. Deeks was a man who loved to be independent, open spaces and the ocean. And now,... No, she shook her head trying to refocus her mind on all the positive stuff. It wasn't fair but they were going to see each other and that was all that mattered.

She was sitting at the table, having breakfast, when Monty came and sat beside her, sensing that something was different today. "Yes, buddy, today I'm going to see him," she told him as she scratched him behind his ears, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. "I know you miss him too and don't worry, I will tell him that. I miss him too." Her eyes landed on the couch and happy memories filled her head. Every night since Deeks' conviction, she had slept at his apartment. It was the only place where she was able to find some peace. In every object, she could feel his presence and she could smell his scent surround her as she slept in his bed. The couch was just a reminder of the most amazing moments they had shared. A wave of sadness engulfed her, almost overwhelming her. It seemed like a long lost memory, something that happened so long ago, but it was everything she had and didn't want to forget. She could never forget the taste of his mouth on her, the gentle graze of his hands on her skin... she simply couldn't.

Monty licked her hand, as he had sensed her uneasiness. "You're such a good boy. You'll be good today, won't you?" He licked her hand again and she took that as a yes.

Kensi got up and went to take a shower, checking the time nervously. She still had many hours to wait and she was sure they wouldn't pass quickly enough.

She was getting dressed when her phone rang. "Callen, hey..." she answered.

"Hey Kens. I... we'd like to hear how you're doing," Callen asked her gingerly, answering for both himself and Sam. "It's the big day and we know how much you're looking forward to it."

She could only smile at her friend's affectionate question. She had seen the way Sam and Callen were busy trying to protect her. She hated to be seen as fragile, but on the other hand, she could only appreciate their gesture and their support. No one had brought up the likelihood of their being a relationship between she and Deeks, but she was well aware that everyone knew.

"I'm good, G. Really. I'm just a bit nervous... well, maybe anxious is the right word," she replied.

"If you need us, we can come with you. You know that," he replied, with genuine concern.

"No, it's ok. I'll manage. You know Deeks. He wouldn't like you to see him that way. It's too soon. I'll visit him first, then I'll tell him that you want to visit him next." She could imagine that her teammates were anxious to see their friend as well but she knew that Deeks was probably not ready for that just yet.

"Yeah, right. Just call us when you're back, ok?" he asked, wanting to hear an update on Deeks' imprisonment and how he was handling it.

"Of course," Kensi was just about to hang up when when she said, "And Callen? Thanks, I really appreciate your call."

"Don't even mention it, Kensi. Just say hi to Deeks from all of us. Talk to you later," and with that Callen hung up.

She stared at the phone in her hand, sighing deeply. Three more hours to go.

* * *

When she arrived at the Mojave Correction Center, she felt her stomach turning upside down. She had expected something different, something a bit more modern than this. As she got closer, she couldn't shake the bad feeling gripping her heart. There was something evil here, something that gave her chills. It was not a sensation she wanted to have knowing that this was the place where the man she loved was going to spend the rest of his life. She shivered at the thought. She and the whole team were still looking for a way to help him, but the more she tried the harder it was to accept that nothing useful was coming out from their search.

Before she knew it, Kensi arrived in front of the visitors' room doors. She could finally see him! Her heartbeat accelerated even more and it seemed like she couldn't control herself . A guard asked her to leave her badge and gun behind, she was finally cleared to walk inside. The room was not very big as it was divided by shatterproof glass separating the visitors from the inmates. Small walls created private cubicles along the length of the glass, each with its own chair and a phone. She sat at her assigned cubicle and waited.

When a door in the inmates area opened up, her heart stopped.

"Deeks," she murmured watching him approach, pointedly limping. There were bruises on his face, a split lip and one of his eyes was still swollen. In spite of all of this, he gave her the best of his smiles as he sat in front of her.

Deeks picked up the phone, indicating she do the same. "Hey," he said, still smiling, his eyes sparkling in happiness. It was the first moment of real joy he had felt in such a long time.

"What happened to you? Are you ok?" she asked worried, unable to contain her anger and concern.

"Shh, it's nothing I can't deal with," he replied, putting his hand on the glass waiting for her to do the same. It was the closest thing to touching her. "You look great," he told her as she mimicked his gesture.

She chuckled slightly embarrassed, bowing her head. "I can't say the same for you," Kensi locked her gaze on him, feeling so sorry for him and so useless. "Who did this to you? Why?"

"It's ok, Kens. Nothing I wasn't ready for. My cell mate is not exactly the nicest person in this world," he told her, cringing as he shifted his position on the not-so-comfortable chair.

"Did he do that? Why? Is he someone you knew?" she hated seeing him in pain, unable to help him.

"Someone I put away some years ago. His name is Michael Thompson," he told her, unable to suppress a shiver. "I think Abbott planned it since the beginning."

Kensi took mental note of the name then stared at Deeks, puzzled. "Abbott? Deeks what are you talking about?"

"Oops, I forgot to tell you that Steven Abbott, Wade Abbott's brother, is the Chief of the Guards in this place," he admitted reluctantly. He didn't like to give her even more worries than she already had. "But it's ok, everything's under control."

"You idiot! When were you planning on telling me that? Next year maybe? Maybe when they broke every single bone in your body? Damn it, Deeks!" she was losing it, she didn't want to, but this was too much. "This is..."

"Look at me, Kens. Please, look at me," he spoke with that tone in his voice, that mellow note she had never been able to resist, his hand moving down the glass to where hers now rested. "I can take care of myself in here, Kens. It's you I'm more worried about."

"Me? I am not in this damn place with a bunch of psychopaths who wants to kill me! I'm out of here, alone..." she felt a tear running down her cheek, but she wiped it away immediately. She didn't want him to see her like that or give him anything else to worry about. It would make things even worse for him "I miss you."

"I miss you too, Fern," his voice cracked, every so slightly. It broke his heart seeing her on the other side of that glass, so close but at the same time so far away. "I miss you too," he regained a bit of composure, before asking "How is everyone else doing? Are they mad at me?"

"No, Deeks! No one is mad at you! We're still trying to figure out a way to get you out of here. It doesn't matter how long it will take, we'll find a way. You just have to trust us."

He smiled, bitterly, hissing in pain as he did it. "I trust you. It's just that," he paused, inhaling deeply. "Nothing... it doesn't matter." It was his turn to bow his head.

"Hey, what's up? You know you can tell me anything. Deeks, look at me..." Kensi couldn't hide her concern, not anymore.

"I only hope you can find a way soon, " he lifted his glance, locking his eyes on hers.

She was shocked to see the tears forming in those blue eyes she loved so much. "Deeks..." she wanted to move through the glass, to hug him, kiss him and give him some much needed comfort, but it was impossible.

"I can take the beatings, the humiliation. I can take everything they will throw at me. I am prepared for this. But, I don't know how long I will be able to stay away from you. I know I shouldn't be telling you this, it's unfair to you, but..."

She felt a pang in her heart. She had never seen him like this "It won't be too much longer. I promise you, Deeks. I won't leave you in here any longer than absolutely necessary. You know us. Nell and Eric are looking through every detail; Sam and Callen are moving mountains. And Hetty, well Hetty is Hetty. We'll get you out Deeks. I promise you. Don't give up, please. Do it for me," she felt ashamed asking him not to give up, but she hoped that in asking, she could encourage him to remain strong and keep his spirits high during the next little while while they worked to get him out.

Deeks put his hand on the glass again and watched as she mirrored his movement once more. "I... won't give up. I promise you. I'll fight with everything I have," he moved his hand away from the glass, kissed it and put it back in place.

She did the same, smiling. "I love you," she whispered.

"Love you too, Fern," he replied unable to take his eyes away from hers. He wanted to commit her face to memory, every small detail, her smile, the color of her eyes... everything.

"Time is up," a guard bellowed and then approached, tapping Deeks on the shoulder, hanging up the phone and pulling him to his feet.

"You promised, Deeks!" Kensi yelled, standing on her feet, as she watched him being taken away, likely back to his cell. Once he disappeared from sight, she felt her legs begin to buckle and she sat back down to rest. She sunk her hands into her hair, whispering to herself "You promised, Deeks. Just hold on, please. Hang in there."

* * *

Callen walked into the bullpen carrying a couple of coffees he had picked up at the little bistro around the corner in his hands. He greeted Sam as he sat at his desk reading over some reports. His eyes cast a furtive glance at the two empty desks and took a deep breath, shaking his head.

He still couldn't believe that everything had ended up so badly. How could they not have been able to save their friend from such an unfair fate? He couldn't believe how different this place was without Deeks annoying everyone around him. He had never imagined to miss the shaggy haired detective so much and this was unsettling. What was even more unsettling though, was the fact that he had the distinctive feeling that his team was falling apart around him. With Deeks gone, Kensi was no longer the same. She was only focused on one goal - finding something that sadly was almost impossible to find. He hadn't seen her smile or joke in days. No one could complain about her behavior as she worked, but she wasn't the same. And Sam had changed too. He was even more particular in everything he did, like he was afraid of making a mistake, of doing something that could jeopardize any of their open cases.

This was not good, not good at all.

"Hey, about time you arrived with that coffee," the ex-Seal told his partner, getting up to grab his cup.

"Sorry, the place was crowded. Any news from Kensi?" Callen wondered nonchalantly "I asked her to call me after she'd seen him."

"Cut her some slack, G. If it's tough for us, imagine what it's like for her," Sam remarked, sipping his coffee.

"So, it's hard for you, too?" Callen inquired.

"You know, G. Deeks is Deeks. He's the way he is and you can't deny that we had fun when he was around. Getting through the day is easier if you have someone like him, someone who find the humor in every situation. Who can... who is... well, you know... someone like Deeks," Sam reasoned, sitting back down behind his desk and feeling the emptiness beside him.

"You're right," Callen replied, silently agreeing with Sam and continuing to drink his coffee. "Do you know if our wonder twins found something useful? Eric did say that there was something he was working on yesterday..."

"I haven't seen them all day. I was starting to wonder if they were still alive," smirked Sam "Those two don't know when to stop working if they had a lead to follow."

"Aren't we all the same?" Callen asked rhetorically. "God, I hate this," he said to no one in particular.

"What exactly do you hate, Mr. Callen?" Hetty replied, silently appearing as usual. "Define '_this_', if you would,"

"I hate the fact that we're not able to find anything to help him, that we can't go there and talk to him, that my team is going into pieces! Damn it!"

Both Sam and Hetty were shocked by the sudden outburst from the usually controlled man.

"G, we're doing everything we can..." the ex-Seal tried to reassure him.

"It's not enough, Sam! There must be something we can do, something we haven't looked at yet. Anything..." Callen slammed his fist on the desk, releasing more of his anger and frustration.

"Mr. Callen, I share your sentiment. I am very disappointed with this whole situation, but this is not the attitude that will see us through." The Operations Manager could truly understand how her team was feeling because she too felt frustrated, useless as if her hands were tied. But it was not with anger that they might solve this. They needed to be focused and keep an open mind. It was hard, but it was their only option.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just that I know that we need to do something..." the team leader said, closing his eyes, silently apologizing for his behavior.

"And we need to do it soon before it would be too late" Kensi's voice surprised everyone.

"Kensi, hey," Sam was the first to get up and greet her, sensing immediately that the visit didn't go as well as she expected. One look at her puffy eyes and how her shoulders seemed to carry the weight of the whole world told him that. "How did it go?" he asked tentatively, trying be very delicate.

She looked at her teammates, her expression distant, as if she hadn't heard the question. "I need to talk to Eric and Nell. I have... I'm sorry," without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away, leaving Sam, Callen and Hetty practically speechless.

"Let me talk to her," the blue eyed team leader suggested as he started following her friend.

"No, Mr. Callen, let me first," Hetty intervened, her tone one that didn't allow for contradiction.

"Ok, but let us know what's going on, please," he said gravely as his eyes followed Kensi up the stairs.

"Of course, don't worry," Hetty replied, following Kensi's steps up to Ops.

When Hetty was gone, Sam cast a glance at his partner. "It's bad, isn't it? I have never seen her like that, nor have I ever seen Hetty quite so protective either," he paused a moment, before going on. "Heck, I've never seen you quite like that either, G! What the hell happened?"

"I don't know Sam, but the sooner we get Deeks back, the better." and with that, Callen sat back down at his desk and started working .

* * *

"Miss Blye, a word please," Hetty asked as she intercepted Kensi just before she could step into Ops. It looked like Kensi was about to ignore her so she asked again, "Kensi, please. I would like to speak with you."

The younger agent stopped, bowing her head as she turned around to face her boss. "Hetty, please I need some information first."

The Operations manager took her agent by the hand and guided her to one of the benches situated in the corridor. "Kensi, talk to me. How did your visit go? You haven't said anything and we all know how much you were looking forward to your visit." Hetty stared at her, speaking gently and looking at the other woman with her knowing eyes.

"It was awful..." she murmured, feebly.

"Awful? I never imagined you could say a word like that when talking about Mr. Deeks," the diminutive woman smiled, hoping to see a reaction in Kensi. A reaction she got, but not the one she expected at all.

"They'll kill him, Hetty, if we won't get him out soon," her voice cracked as a tight knot clenched in her throat when the image of Deeks' beaten face appeared to her. "They hurt him. He said he was ok, but I know it was just an act. He just wanted to protect me again and he didn't want me to worry about him. But, I know it was bad. I saw it in his eyes..."

"What do you mean? Who hurt him?" asked Hetty, trying to make sense of the story.

"He said that his cell mate is a man who hates him more than anything, the Chief of the Guards is Abbott's brother who swore to make Deeks' life a living hell..." Kensi looked at the older woman, with teary eyes. "Hetty, I fear that if we don't get him out soon, he... I... damn it!" she got up angrily, mostly not to show the hundreds of emotions overwhelming her.

"Kensi, I'm sure he will do everything he can to stay alive until we get him out because he has so much to fight for. He has you, you should know that by now," Hetty said in such a calming tone, as if she and Kensi were enjoying hot tea and pastries and not discussing the status of her relationship with Deeks. "Mr. Deeks knows exactly who's waiting for him outside and I'm sure he knows we're doing everything we can. I can't imagine it will be easy for him or for you…" she finished, trailing off and hoping Kensi would share more of her emotions.

"Hetty, you can't imagine how much I would like to believe in what you're saying, but you didn't see him. You didn't see what that place is already doing to him. I am so scared, more scared than I've been in ages."

"Let me speak with a few contacts. Maybe we can find alternate accommodations for him," the Operations Manager saw the light of hope brightening Kensi's eyes hearing her words. "I can't promise you anything, but after what you've told me, well... maybe I can try again. "

"Do you really think that could be possible?" Kensi asked eagerly.

"I can ask and I think that any attempt is better than none at all. Don't you think?"

Kensi sighed heavily as the image of Deeks' battered face flashed in front of her eyes once again. It wouldn't be something she could easily forget. She closed her eyes once more and other images, happier images, appeared: a pair of blue eyes that could look so deep into her soul, a gentle voice, a cheeky grin... and her heart was suddenly filled by a peaceful sensation, by a sense of warmness.

"We'll save him, won't we?" she asked.

Hetty smiled, seeing how much calmer and in control Kensi looked. "We'll do everything we can. You have to believe in it too - don't you lose hope as well. You must stay strong for the both of you. I'm sure that Mr. Deeks will be able to feel your strength from where he is. There's a great connection between the two of you, I know it. You must believe in it as well."

"Thanks, Hetty," Kensi nodded in acknowledgment. "I needed someone to keep me in line." Gathering herself, she got up and as she was walking away, she turned back to look at the older woman. "Can I ask Eric and Nell to research a few things for me? "

"Of course, my dear. If you think that this will help you and the case in any way, do it."

The junior agent didn't say anything, but her eyes spoke a million of words. Then she left, heading into Ops.

Hetty closed her eyes, shaking her head as she inhaled deeply "I'm getting too old for this job..." she told herself, then whispering she added "...and I'm too emotionally involved."

* * *

Thanks to everyone who made it to this point. I appreciate it.

Now it's time to think...


	11. Chapter 11

First of all I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter and I am sorry about the delay in posting this one, but you all know about RL's inconveniences.

And just to clarify once for all, I didn't put that note at the beginning of the previous chapter to be a weak-whiner as someone said or looking for more reviews and all, this has never been too important for me. I can take criticism (how can you improve if you don't?) or otherwise I would have never started posting anything here. I was only reflecting because I try to respect people, respect is important to me, and if whatever I did is "offending" someone, well, maybe it's something that I shouldn't go on doing. That's it. Sadly, this whole thing got a bit out of control, becoming more important than it was supposed to be (more than the story itself), so I won't go back to this subject anymore, I'm done with it. Period.

It's time for a new chapter instead. I'm sorry but this one is not beta-ed so all the mistakes are mine.

* * *

No Way Out – Chapter 11

The time he could spend outside in the yard was Deeks' favorite moment of the day. Being able to look at the sky, feeling the sun kiss his skin, breathing some fresh air... well that was something that reminded him of the life outside of this place.

But the time out in the courtyard was also a moment in which he was able to stay on his own, away from everyone and everything... from Thompson and his buddies or from Abbott. He could really call this a bonus.

Today he was sitting at his favorite spot, leaning his back against the wall, observing the other inmates engaging in games of chance or in football matches or some exercise. He simply sat there allowing his mind to wander away from here.

"No... no please... that's mine!" a voice reached his ears, a voice he knew very well "No... give that back to me!"

Eduardo Montero was surrounded by some men, men that Deeks recognized as some of Thompson's friends that had stolen something from the young man, something that Eddy wanted back. They had pinned him against a wall and they were having fun of him.

"Oh the poor baby wants his pacifier back..." one of the men was holding an object in his hand, taking it over his head where the kid couldn't reach it "Come on, Eddy baby... come and get it..."

"Troy, give it to me..." Eddy launched himself against the bigger man, but he was stopped by someone else, manhandled and thrown to the ground.

"Come on pissy-pant... you want it... come and get it" the man named Troy insisted, viciously caressing Montero's face "You're not afraid of me, are you Eddy boy? You know that if you are kind to me I will give it back to you..."

Deeks recognized the object the man was holding, it was the locket Eddy always had with him, the locket his mother gave it to him before he was sent to jail, the locket he had been allowed to keep while in jail. The kid had told him how much he cared for the little object, because it reminded him of the life waiting for him outside.

Troy's hands moved on Eddy's face again, ruffling his dark air "You know what you have to do to get it back, little whore... just give Troy some fun..." laughs exploded as Eduardo's face whitened hearing Troy's request.

"No... please Troy just give it back to me... please. It means nothing to you..." there were tears on Eddy's face now "Please..."

Troy walked closer to the young man, pushing him on his knees "Come on little whore, do your job... and you'll have it back... come on..." he was opening his pants when someone grabbed him from behind and sent it to the ground.

"Enough!" Deeks told him, his voice steady and firm "Give the locket back to him... now!" he didn't need to shout to sound intimidating.

"Stay out of this cop... if you don't want to get your share of fun..." Troy replied getting up and standing right in front of the cop.

"I said give him the locket back..." with a rapid movement, Deeks grabbed the man's arm, twisted him behind him and pushed him against the wall "Are you deaf or what?"

For a moment, surprised by the sudden change of scenery, no one was able to talk and silence fell around the two men; no one reacted. Troy let go the locket that fell to the dusty ground.

"Eddy, take it and get away from here!" the cop yelled at the boy, releasing his grip on the other man who looked at him with pure hatred in his eyes.

"But Marty... I..."

"Eddy, I said get away from here" Deeks' voice softened, he knew what he was going against here, but the young man was the only person who had ever showed a bit of humanity in this place and he felt the need to protect him in spite of the consequences "It's ok..."

Montero picked up his locket and ran away.

"You know you're dead, cop..." Troy talked with a deep voice, hoping to scare his opponent. Meanwhile he beckoned to one of his friends who left headed somewhere "You should have stayed out of this cop... you know it..."

Deeks was studying every man around him, he was clearly outnumbered, but he didn't have any intention to give up without a fight.

Troy tilted his head pleased and tried to hit him, but the cop blocked the blow and immediately reacted, punching the other man in the stomach sending him to the ground. Other two men tried to get him, but even if his knee was still sore and aching, he was able to dodge their blows and hit them first.

"Is this all you can do? I guess why you ended up here" the cop smiled cunningly, but his satisfaction didn't last long, because someone hit him from behind, with strength on his kidney "Aarrgghh..." he cried out.

"Did you miss me, cop? You know it's not nice having a party without inviting me!" Thompson yelled, kicking him in the stomach as he was still on the ground.

"I was wondering..." Deeks panted, putting himself on his knees "When were you going to show up? I was waiting for you!" with a sudden gesture, he grabbed Thompson's ankle and made him stumble "Come on Thompson... you and me, don't be a coward..." he grinned.

"A coward? Who is the coward here?" Michael sent a glare to Troy who held the cop from behind "Maybe I might be a coward... but you're a fool if you thought you could get out of this alive..." and with that he delivered a couple of punches to Deeks' stomach, then he yanked his hair, tilting his head, painfully "You haven't got it yet, cop... you are here only for us to have some fun... all the fun we want..."

The cop's reaction though was not what Thompson expected. Deeks headbutted him with all the strength he was able to deliver and at the same time, stamped on Troy's foot and the man was forced to release his hold. Like a fury, he launched himself against his cell mate, kicking him and punching him, releasing all of his anger. He was so lost in his act of vengeance, that he didn't hear the call-whistle of the guards until he was too late. An electrical shock coursed through his whole body as Abbott's hit him with his omnipresent Taser gun.

"What happened here?" the chief of the guards shouted as the inmates straggled away, leaving only a panting and bloody Thompson on the ground and a still shaking Deeks beside him.

"He started it" Troy intervened indicating the cop "He launched himself as a fury against Thompson... he would have probably killed him if you didn't show up when you did it. We tried to stop him, but he was too damn obsessed..."

"Is it true Thompson?" Abbott asked as two other guards put Deeks on his feet "Did it go as he said?"

The bald man turned his face too look at his cell mate who was struggling to get rid of the guards' grip as much as his still shaking body allowed him. He gave him a bloody smile before answering, holding his midsection to give more emphasis to his words "The son of a bitch attacked me without any reason... he's dangerous and he can't control himself..."

"You little piece of shit..." Deeks couldn't finish because one of the guards hit him in the ribs with his truncheon.

"Shut up!"

A big satisfied grin curved Abbott's lips as he approached the panting and coughing cop "I warned you to behave Deeks... now you need to start learning that every action as a consequence" there was such a vicious expression on his face that almost chilled Deeks' blood. Steven turned to look at his men "Take him to the isolation cell. I think it's time our friend here will taste a little bit of the Mojave medicine..."

He tried to wriggle, to struggle, but his legs were too weak after the shock and the beating he had received again. Deeks was lead to the isolation cell, something he had only heard about it until now. The guards didn't use a lot of care with him and before pushing inside the small cell, they released a bit of their frustration on him.

"This will teach you not to kill cops... traitor!" one of them yelled at him before kicking him on his head and sent him to oblivion.

* * *

Mojave Correction Center was an old prison, an old building that had been revamped several times to adjust it to the new laws, the new requests and to welcome a major numbers of inmates. Some of the old blocks had been literally turned over to become more homely, especially the common areas, but some other parts had been left almost exactly as they were when they had been built in the late thirties. The isolation cells had been left intact, just as a reminder, just as a deterrent against bad behaviors or misconduct.

Essentially they consisted in small rooms, not more than four meters square, with metal walls, situated in the hottest area of the building, where the sun was beating down for the better part of the day, with no windows or openings. The previous Warden had wanted to pull them down, considering them as out of the times and too taxing for the inmates forced to live inside them; he thought there were other methods, maybe less barbaric to control the misbehaving prisoners, but when Limpkin had taken his place, he decided to keep them and use them as much as he could, just to give him some sense of power on the inmates, showing them that they were nothing more than numbers in his hands and at his mercy.

Deeks groaned coming round, his head hurt and his whole body ached. The first sensation that he was aware of, after the pain of course, was the intense and overwhelming heat, that made breathing harder, that burnt his tired eyes...

It was dark, very dark if it wasn't for the little beams of light coming from under the door or from some almost invisible holes in the metal walls. The almost total absence of light made the heat even more oppressing.

He sat up, fighting the wave of nausea probably caused by one of the blows he received, leaning against the wall as a support "Right, this is funny... very funny" he told himself as he tried to assess all of his injuries, but thinking it was not easy. He was thirsty and his throat looked like sandpaper, swallowing was a bit painful.

He tried to think about the events that had lead him here and his mind went to Eddy, hoping that no one had hurt the kid because he had taken his defenses, he would never forgive himself because of that. A chuckle escaped from his lips... how silly was it to think about someone else when you're in a place like this? "You're going crazy Marty..." he said, closing his eyes and soon succumbing to tiredness, passing out.

A metal sound woke him up as a stream of light came from the outside, from a little slot in the metal door. At first he was almost blinded but he managed to get away from the beam and recognized Warden Limpkin's glasses.

"My, my, my... I thought we agreed on the fact that you had to behave, but you decided to act as you were a cop again, beating the bad guys up... maybe few days in this cell will help you understand this little detail. Enjoy your stay" the vicious man told him.

"Oh, well... I'm having so much fun..." Deeks cracked, trying to smile.

"And I thought you have learnt that you have to shut up... maybe I can prolong your little holiday of another day... or two, what do you think?" Limpkin grinned satisfied.

"Oh please... go on... I like it here..."

The slot closed with a loud thud, leaving Deeks again in the darkness. Beads of sweat were running down his forehead and his shirt was all soaked. The heat was becoming unbearable. Once again, he closed his eyes and succumbed to sleep.

When he woke up again, he felt something different... he was shivering, badly. The temperature had dropped down and his still sweaty clothes were stuck to his body making him tremble. Deeks tried to embrace himself to find a bit of warm, but once again, it was hard, everything hurt and thinking was almost impossible. It was then that a voice reached his mind, resounding strong in his brain _Don't give up... you promise me. Just hold on..._ "Kensi..." he murmured as he felt a tear rolling down his tired face "I promised... I won't give up... I promised..." he repeated guiding himself to sleep.

The sound of the slot opening brought him, once again, back to consciousness. He didn't know how long he had been kept in here, he had completely lost track of time moving in and out of consciousness.

"What a pitiful display... I would almost feel sorry for you Deeks, if I wasn't so happy to see you suffer for what you did" Abbott told him with a big triumphant smirk planted on his face. His cold eyes sparkled with satisfaction at the sight of the man who had killed his brother lying in the dirt of the isolation cell "The smell is awful in this place..." he laughed loudly.

"You know... you're..." Deeks tried to collect his strength, not wanting to appear weak and broken in front of the man. He wanted to show him that there was still fight in him, no matter what they were doing to him "You're not even... too original... my dog would have been more brilliant" a cheeky grin brightened up his face.

"Laugh until you can... you know I can keep you in this place until I won't see a change of attitude... or even forever" Abbott's voice became deeper and graver "I told you Deeks. You're mine... and I can do everything I want with you!" a fat laugh resounded in the small cell when the slot closed again "You're mine..."

The last words echoed in Deeks' ears, chilling his bones... he felt so tired, it was so hot... breathe, just breathe... just breathe... he wanted to breathe, but it was hard... the heat was impossible to bear and he was so thirsty... if only he could get a bit of water... just a little bit.

Strong arms grabbed him and got him out of the isolation cell. The sun blinded his eyes so used to darkness and for a long moment he could only see white flashes in front of him. He was aware he was lying on the ground, but at least he was out of that damn place. So it seemed that Abbott had decided he had enough fun with him for the moment, finally the old man would give him a break...

Steven Abbott's voice froze his hopes immediately though "You're pathetic, look at you... you were a cop once and look at you now. You're just a stinky piece of shit" he turned towards a couple of his men "Take those filthy clothes away and burn them, before someone could get sick because of them... Hell, you smell like manure, Deeks..." he laughed as his men stripped the cop.

Before Deeks could realize what was happening, a bucket of freezing water was thrown against him, shaking him from his confused state.

"Again!" Abbott ordered, other two buckets reached him "Don't you like it? I bet you were craving for some water... I heard you asking for it while you were in the cell..."

The cop tried to lick a bit of the water, to fight the dryness of his lips and throat, but it was so cold that it was almost impossible. Another bucket was thrown at him shaking him to the bone.

"Enough, for now" the Chief of the guards said, smiling as he leaned forward the inmate. He lifted Deeks' head yanking his hair "You have an appointment with someone to take care of your anger issues, my dear friend... so just try to behave or I'll throw you in the isolation cell again. You know I can even write your name on it, because I'm sure you'll find your way to it again... Take him to the interrogation room and get him a new uniform" he shouted at his men.

Guards hauled him, dragging him, still naked, towards the main building. They left him into a small room furnished only with a table and two chairs "Wear these" they ordered him giving him a new uniform "Sit down and wait. The shrink will be here soon"

Still shivering, Deeks put on the clothes and embracing himself he sat in the chair waiting. Anger issues... he laughed at the irony, because right now he was very angry, and anger was what kept him going, that kept him standing.

He heard footsteps approaching, he could even bet it was the sound of high heels getting closer "Oh well... at least the shrink is not a wrinkled old man" he muttered, as his lips curved into a grin.

The door opened and a tall woman with blond hair stepped inside; she had green eyes and she seemed to have a non-functional arm. She looked at Deeks with a cunning grin "Hello Marty" she greeted him mellowly.

The cop's blood froze at the sight, he couldn't believe it... it was impossible. Myriad of images danced in front of his eyes... a cascade of red hair, cold green eyes laughing at him, a pool... pain... No, it couldn't be, this was so wrong, this was impossible "You?" he murmured incredulously.

"In flesh and blood Marty..." the woman tilted her head back, mockingly, laughing pleased "Small world, don't you think?"

"Vika... you dirty bitch!" blinded by the hate, Deeks launched himself against the woman, pinned her against the wall "You... you crazy bitch! It was you, you did all of this... you ruined my life!"

Vika, in spite of the sudden attack, managed to press the alarm button and immediately Abbott and other guards rushed inside, dragging Deeks away from her.

"You have to arrest her... she's a serial killer..." the cop tried to get rid of the man holding him, but the more he struggled, the more the guards used more violence. They pushed him to the ground, face down "You have to call my team... she's dangerous!"

"Shut up!" a guard yelled at him, but Deeks didn't want to stop, he couldn't. Adrenaline was pumping in his veins, giving him extra strength "I said shut up!"

"Oh hell..." Abbott saw the inmate struggle, kicking with his legs to get free "I told you to behave Deeks!" and once again, he used his taser gun, this time charged even higher.

The cop screamed at the top of his lungs, in agony, before his body went limp and he lost consciousness.

"Are you ok, Dr. Wessler?" Abbott asked the scared woman "Maybe you can postpone the session, I don't think it's safe for you"

"I'm fine... it's ok. I... I think I can start today, but please can you secure him? I... I think I underestimated the report you sent me. He's far worse than I imagined" Vika tried to appear shaken and innocent, but deep down she was enjoying the moment so much "This man's got not only anger issues but probably even a high dose of paranoia"

"Oh of course... don't worry, we'll handcuff him so he won't be able to hurt you during the therapy" the Chief of the guards instructed his men who started working on the still unconscious cop.

Vika looked at the scene with an even wider grin. She was going to have a lot of fun "Please, Chief Abbott" she asked innocently "Is it possible to keep the sessions private? I think it's better if I can work without anyone observing me working..."

Steven Abbott was puzzled for a moment, but then realized that there was nothing wrong with it "It's ok, I will arrange things, but if you ever need help, just press the button"

"Thanks Chief, you're very kind" the woman laid a hand on the man's shoulder, mischievously "I will never thank you enough for this" a dark shadow crossed her eyes as she cast one last glance at the unconscious man in front of her. It was time for her revenge...

* * *

Nothing. He couldn't find anything out of place. Eric had looked at the files for the umpteenth time, but nothing had come out of them. He had thought that finally he had a lead, something that could give them the opportunity to track the company that had deposited the money on Deeks' alias account in the last period, but once again, it had been another failure. They were back at the beginning, with nothing solid in their hands.

"Don't beat yourself too much, Eric... you're doing everything you can" Nell told him, smiling gently.

"I know, but I still feel that we're close, that I'm missing something, that... that mysterious company is the key to find out who set Deeks up" the tech passed a hand over his face, before his fingers danced again on the keyboard of his computer.

"Yeah... right..."

Eric turned his head to stare at the petite analyst who was fixing her screen with lost expression "Hey, did I say anything wrong?"

Nell simply shook her head, unable to say anything, clearly torn because of something.

"Come one Nell, we're friends. You can tell me everything" he insisted, punching her shoulder lightly, in a brotherly gesture.

"Eric, I... I never apologized and I think it's time to do it" she looked at him, straight in the eyes.

"Apologize? Sorry, but you're losing me here..."

"I... I doubted him. Deeks... for a moment I doubted him, I simply listened to what the evidences said, thinking too logically... without listening to what my heart was telling me instead" Nell was truly sad, embittered for what happened "None of you had a single doubt about him, you were all so sure that he couldn't have done anything of what he was accused of... and I... I... for a moment I believed he truly killed that man. I am an horrible person, Eric. Deeks is my friend. My friend... how could I even think that he was capable of doing something so heinous? So..."

"Hey... it's ok. You had a normal reaction, I think" Eric twirled his chair so he could look at her and then moved towards her "Everyone shows a different reaction to something so... oh well, it was a bomb. We have to admit it... maybe you just needed some time to process it, to see it under the right perspective. At least you came to your senses at the end"

It was Nell's turn to punch him now, maybe harder than she had wanted, but both laughed in unison "Yes, thanks to you who got me in line" she blushed a bit embarrassed "I... I have never seen you angry... I never figured I could take out the inner emotions from unexpected people"

"So... I am... unexpected... I... I never thought that you... I..."

"No, I was not saying that you are... weird or something. You're good the way you are, I was just..." Nell was muttering as she was clutching at straws.

"Am I? Good? Really? I, well... you too, you are very good" the tech whispered, opening his eyes widely, turning around a bit uncomfortable.

It was in that moment that the door of Ops opened up and Sam and Callen walked inside "Hey guys, anything new?" the team leader asked, noticing the weird looks the two tech were sending to each other "Eric?" he insisted, curiously.

"Callen... well, no... nothing new, but I... we're still working"

Sam furrowed his brows, puzzled " Working on what exactly? Yesterday you said you had something"

Eric couldn't hide his disappointment "Well, actually, it was not what I thought, but..."

"But..." Nell intervened, getting up and working on her pad "...I was checking on Michael Thompson, who, according to what Deeks told Kensi, is his cell mate and it seems that he had been transferred to the Mojave Correction Center two weeks before Deeks was sent there, right when the trial against him was taking place. A couple of his closest friends were moved at the same time"

"Do we know why Thompson doesn't like Deeks?" the ex-Seal fixed his glance on the screen staring at Michael Thompson's mugshot.

"Thompson has been arrested for a triple homicide, he killed a family, father, mother and their son, without mercy; he beat them almost to death, then he executed them with a single shot. Deeks' testimony put him away" Nell explained gravely as other images appeared on the big screen.

"Not exactly the best of cell mate, that's for sure" Callen stated, something didn't sound right to him "Who ordered his transfer to Mojave?"

"Well, it seems that Warden Gregory Limpkin wanted to have a group of black sheep around him. The man is a bit obsessed with the idea of redemption, in his mind his prison is capable of redeem even the worst of the criminals" Eric said as a shiver ran down his spine. He really didn't like the idea of Deeks being in that place and mostly in the same cell of someone like Michael Thompson.

"A man who thinks himself as a messiah. Right, perfect!" Sam shook his head in disbelief "Have you run a search on Limpkin? Maybe the man has some... skeletons in the closet"

"We have already done that, but everything came out clear for the moment" the tech sighed heavily, always on the edge of frustration.

"Keep looking" Callen told the two techs "Just keep looking"

"Callen, how is Kensi?" Nell wondered out of nowhere. The female agent was her friend and she knew that she was hurting, badly. Since the moment the sentence had been pronounced, Kensi had closed herself in her own world, she was more distant, more reserved, bottling her emotions inside, even deeper than usual. The young analyst couldn't deny the fact that she was very worried for her friend, afraid that sooner or later she could have an emotional breakdown.

"She's holding herself together, barely, but she's trying to do it" Sam said, unable to hide his own concern "I think it's hard for her, harder than it is for us"

"Yeah, I can imagine, being separated from the man you love, knowing that it would be for the rest of your life" Nell affirmed nonchalantly, sensing three pairs of eyes staring at her "What? I... well... you know there's no need to be a genius to get that, it's obvious..."

Callen chuckled amused by the petite analyst's innocence "Yeah, it's pretty obvious and this is why we have to work harder, because losing Deeks, we're going to lose Kensi as well"

Silence fell into the room. They understood exactly what the blue eyed man was saying, they understood the true meaning of his words. Everyone agreed with him. Callen was right, this was just another reason to work harder.

"Ok then, let's go back to work" Eric stated, going back to his desk and working at his computer.

Sam and Callen exchanged a look, proud of their friends, of their team.

* * *

Fingers were running through his hair, but it was nothing like Kensi's gentle touch. This was rough and absolutely wrong.

Marty Deeks opened his eyes, blinking several time before having a clear vision, where was he? Why...

A pair of cold green orbits stared at him, a pair of cold green orbits filled with pure hatred "About time you decided to join me"

"Vika..." he said, but his voice was raspy and his throat still hurt "You, you selfish bitch!" he yelled trying to launch himself against the woman, but he simply couldn't. His hands were handcuffed behind his back, the left one tied to the right leg of the chair, the right one to the left leg. His ankles had been secured as well in such a way that he couldn't move a single muscle.

"Ahahah, poor Marty. I'm sorry but I couldn't run the risk. I know that you have a little desire to... kill me right now" Vika laughed softly, tilting her head back, mockingly.

"Let me go you crazy bitch" Deeks struggled in his bindings, worsening his situation "Let me go!" he almost screamed in frustration. He couldn't believe that she was here, in front of him while FBI, Interpol and NCIS were all looking for her.

"Oh what a vehemence, you should have used a bit of this ardor when you had the opportunity" she walked closer to him, using her only functional hand to unbutton his shirt, touching his chest playfully "It's such a pity wasting all of this" the hand left his chest and moved to his face as she leaned towards him, kissing him.

Deeks turned his head away, with rage, but Vika grabbed once again his hair as her green eyes locked on his blue ones "Don't you dare turn your face away, Marty. You're not in the position to do it" she smiled viciously, whispering in his ears.

As an answer, the cop spitted on her face and the gesture only got him a slap on his face "You haven't realized yet, Marty, but you should have taken my threat more seriously, you shouldn't have ignored me" she pushed his head back, putting her hand under his chin, squeezing it painfully "Now, you're going to pay" she released her hold, walking around him.

Once again, Deeks tried to wriggle to get rid of the handcuffs, but the more he tried to move, the more painful it was for his arms that twisted in an unnatural way "You, you crazy whore! You ruined my life" frustration was getting the best of him as anger was growing exponentially inside of him.

Vika again burst out laughing, enjoying very much the sight of the man that she hated so much, completely at her mercy "It's been so easy. Wade Abbott was just an idiot, it was so easy getting rid of him. Did you like the little touch of your knife? Oh well, that was perfect, not to mention the money. Ahahah I bet your techie friends are still trying to figure it out but you know what? They will never find a way to prove your innocence, because my plan was, well actually is, simply perfect. You'll rot in this prison and I'll take care of your friends"

A hint of pure terror hit Deeks as a running truck, his eyes widened as the woman spoke with such a calm and cold tone, her hissing voice was simply disturbing.

"Oh... I think you've just realized it, Marty, haven't you?" her eyes became cold as ice and her voice sharp as razor. She stopped in front of him giving him an evil grin "You ruined my life Marty. That shot of yours in that alley, deprived me of the use of my arm, I had to go through months of therapy. I had to start learning doing things differently, not to mention the fact that you... you dared say no to me"

"You just got what you deserved, well, you deserved even something more than that" Deeks told her grinding his teeth, containing barely his anger.

"Shut up!" she backhanded him again, breathing heavily, then regaining a bit of composure, Vika grabbed again his chin, pushing it back as her own face was just few centimeters from his "I bet you remember it, Marty, the sensation of the poison running through your veins, the paralyzing feeling with your body unable to move a single muscle but I'm sure that the thing you remembered way better is drowning. I've been told it is a very unpleasant sensation, when your lungs start to be filled with water and you can't breathe, just inhaling a bit of air is extremely painful. Did you panic, Marty? Were you scared?" she smiled cunningly as she watched him swallowing hard "Oh yes, the memory still haunts you. You're not scared, you're terrified..."

Deeks' heart was pounding heavily, he didn't want to give Vika any satisfaction, but everything she had said was sadly true. He still had nightmares about that experience, waking up in the middle of the night in a bead of sweat.

She released the grip on him and immediately he reacted, struggling and thrashing "Ahahah, look at you, don't you see how pathetic you are? A big boy like you, scared like a little child"

"I'm not afraid of you... just get me free and I'll show you how scared I am" he told her, lowering his voice, hoping to sound menacing.

"Ahahah sorry Marty, but maybe you haven't realized in what kind of predicament you find yourself into" she laughed again and the sound of it echoed in the room that was, good for her, soundproof "You know, I could even kill you, right now. I have still my collection of poisons with me"

"Come on, do it then. Kill me! What are you waiting for?" he challenged her, tightening his jaw.

"Killing you? And missing all the fun? You're such a fool Marty" her expression darkened as she stood in front of him, towering him "I have already taken your freedom away from you, your life. Now I am going to take away from you everything you care the most. Every single person you love. I'm going to kill them Marty, one by one and you won't be able to stop me"

It was like someone had stabbed him in his heart. Deeks knew Vika, knew how her mind worked and sadly was aware that this was not an empty threat. She was really going to hurt all the people he cared about "Don't you dare touch any of them or I swear to God I will kill you with my bare hands!"

Once again, she was not able to suppress a fat laugh "And how are you going to do it? You're closed in this nice place and I'll be outside, free to move undisturbed. No one knows I'm here. No one suspects anything and your so-called-friends are too busy trying to find a way to get you out, that they won't even start thinking that I might be behind all of this"

Deeks' reaction was even more violent this time, his whole body was filled with pure fury, with blinded rage "You're crazy! They'll get you, you should not underestimate my friends"

"Your friends?" Vika took out an i-pad and showed him some pictures.

Nell, Eric, Sam, Callen even Hetty. Kensi. All of his friends had been caught unguarded, no one had realized someone was taking picture at them. Deeks' already dry throat was all of the sudden clenched in a tight knot and in spite of all of his effort, he felt angry tears forming in his eyes.

"Oh yes, it was so easy. They let their guards go down. Concern and worry can be great allies" Vika smiled viciously, her voice was so calm now, but it couldn't hide how dangerous and serious she was "Who do you think will be the first? Maybe I can start with your geek friends, but perhaps it would be even too easy. Sam and Callen would be a nice challenge and I'm sure eliminating them will give me a great satisfaction as much as killing your boss. I heard she's like a legend but I know what will destroy you" she pressed a couple of buttons on her pad and other images showed up. Images that chilled his bones. Images taken inside of his apartment the night before he had been arrested. "You two were so cute that night Marty. I have to confess that I still feel some sympathy for my dear friend Kensi" her voice couldn't hide the fake note she used to say the last words "But in every war there are innocent victims" she giggled like a teenager "Even if Kensi is not exactly innocent"

"Let her out of this. Let them all out!" Deeks cried out, almost in a begging tone "You want me, here I am, but let them out of this!"

Vika caressed his face "My poor, loyal Marty, it's too late for this" with a rapid movement, she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips "They are going to die Marty, all of them. You won't know how or when, every day in here will be just a long wait for you. They will die and you won't be able to save them. Oh, and just in case you wanted to tell them something about me during visitation time, I'll let the Warden know that due to your condition, you will not be allowed to receive any visit"

"You're a sick evil bastard! You fucking whore!" Deeks couldn't contain his rage anymore, he struggled and yelled and thrashed swearing as he had never done in his whole life "You will pay for this bitch! I swear to everything I have dearest in this whole world, that I will kill you"

"Yell as much as you can Marty, but nothing will stop me" she pressed the emergency button and in a blink of an eyes the guards rushed inside the room. Vika put up her scared and terrified face, shaking like a leaf "He... I..."

"Dr. Wessler, it's ok, we'll got him from now" one of the guards held her in his arms as she smiled triumphantly out of the corner of her eyes.

"Thank you. Everything was going right when he started screaming and yelling, calling me names" she told them with a feeble and innocent voice as the most consumed actress.

"Don't worry, Dr. Wessler. My colleague will take you to the exit" the guard turned to face Deeks who was still struggling and screaming "We'll take care of him"

* * *

And so she was back... I didn't forget about Vika and here she is, making her appearance.

Thanks for reading.


	12. Chapter 12

Once again thanks to everyone who spent some time reading this story and leaving a review, I truly appreciate it.

I'm going to warn you, the next few chapters are going to be tough and pretty dark, so be prepared ;)

I'm back to non-betaed chapters, so please forgive all the (many) mistakes you'll be find and please let me know if they are too big! Thanks in advance.

* * *

No Way Out – Chapter 12

The sun was rising, its rays reflected on the ocean, sparkling beautifully. The beach was engulfed by an orange glow that gave everything a romantic appearance, a warm feeling that reached everyone's heart. It was simply peaceful and quiet... It was exactly what she needed.

The waves crashed on the beach gently caressing her bare feet as she walked watching Monty playing in the water. A smile curved her lips as the loyal dog shook himself to get rid of the excess of salty water and then trotted towards her "You're a good dog, Monty" Kensi knelt in front of him, petting him, scratching him behind his ears. As an answer Monty, licked her face "Yeah... perfect..." she told him, closing her eyes.

Coming here at the beach, at dawn, taking Monty with her, had become an habit for her, a ritual, like she wanted to feel Deeks' presence beside her... because even if she didn't want to admit it to anyone, even if she wanted to stay strong, Kensi missed him, badly.

It had been more than two months, already, she almost couldn't believe it. The situation had gone from bad to worse more or less one month ago, when she had showed at at the prison to see him and the guards had told her that no one was allowed to visit him, not until the psychologist who was taking care of him will say something different at least. That day her whole world had gone to pieces, like the only feeble light of her existence had been blown out. She had driven her car home and had cried herself to sleep that night, but the day after, she had felt a new strength in her, maybe it was just desperation, but she was determined to fight even more harder. It couldn't end like this.

Hetty had tried to find a way, someone who could help them, but after one month, nothing had moved. They were outside, going on with their lives and Deeks was in jail, going on with his.

The thought clenched her stomach and made her even angrier; coming here, at the beach, was the only thing that relaxed her. Kensi took a deep breath as she observed the surfers preparing their boards, maniacally waxing them as they cast a respectful glance at the ocean. She had always loved the way these men respected the sea, loving it and living in symbiosis with it. Deeks had explained her this when he had taught her to surf, it had been the first thing he had told her before everything else, before even letting her on a board.

"You can't learn how to surf if you don't respect the ocean. It could be your best friend, but it could become your worst enemy" his words resounded in her ears, warming her heart.

Monty, barking, interrupted her train of thoughts.

"I know, I know... you're hungry..." she caressed the dog's head fixing his leash "Come on, time to go home then"

Home... yes home. Deeks' apartment. Yes, because Kensi spent more time here at his apartment than at hers. She knew it was not healthy, that everything here reminded her of him and mostly of the fact that he was not here with her, but she couldn't help herself. And Monty seemed to feel exactly the same. She had tried to take him to her apartment, but the dog couldn't sleep during the nights, howling desperately. It had been heartbreaking for him and for her too... so here they were, back at Deeks'.

Monty started circling around her, knowing that she was going to give her something to eat, barking and wagging his tail in expectation.

"Hey, just give me a moment" Kensi told him preparing the bowl with crispy treats along with some humid dog food "And here you are Monty, slowly, eat it slowly," she had just laid the bowl on the floor that the dog jumped on it.

Kensi sat on the couch watching him eat avidly, enjoying it. Without realizing it she took a pillow in her hands, holding it to her chest and a wave of sadness hit her. She couldn't give up, even if the circumstances were not smiling at them, she would never give up, she had promised him. Getting Deeks out of jail had become her only goal, she was completely focused on that and she will never be happy again until she will reach it. She owed him, she owed herself. They deserved some happiness, no matter what.

She lay on the couch, still smiling as she watched Monty devouring his breakfast "Can you see him Deeks? Your dog will never lose his appetite" doing so and still smiling, she closed her eyes and before she could even realize it, she was sleeping.

Kensi woke up abruptly, she didn't know how long she had been sleeping and for a moment she found hard to remember where she was, then she caught sight of where she was lying "Kensi, Kensi, Kensi... you should stop doing this" casting a furtive glance to the clock on the wall, she was immediately aware that she was going to be late for work "Oh hell, not again!" she told herself getting up from the couch. It was then that a strange feeling grew inside of her stomach, like something was definitively wrong.

The apartment was silent, too silent, but an alarm bell was screaming in her head. Her instinct kicked in and her hand moved to her gun "Monty?" she called waiting for a sign from the dog that never come "Come on good boy, where are you?" a sense of dread almost overwhelmed her and as a reaction she tightened the grip on her weapon.

A low thud, like something falling to the floor reached her ears coming from the other room "Monty, is it you buddy?" she called again.

Another noise came from the other room, it was the window being opened. Kensi rushed towards the source of the undefined sound "Federal agent, stop!" she shouted as a black figure sneaked out of the window. She wanted to run after the man, but what she saw on the floor chilled her bones, paralyzing her.

"NO!" she cried out desperately "Monty!" the dog was lying on the ground with foam at his mouth, breathing heavily, moaning like hurt baby, painfully, staring at her with his big unfocused eyes "No, no... no... come on... please please please" she approached him, touched him, she was so scared, the poor dog was clearly in agony and his body was so cold. This couldn't be happening, she couldn't lose him. Delicately, she held Monty in her arms "Come on, Monty... don't do this to me... please, please... don't leave me... please... I can't lose you, I can't lose you too... please" tears were flowing freely down her cheeks as her heart was crying for the loyal dog. The pain of losing him was too big, losing him would be like losing one of the few things that reminded her of Deeks "No, please... please don't leave me... please... I can't lose you Monty... I can't..." losing Monty was like losing Deeks... again.

* * *

It was another day at the Mojave Correction Center, another day like the previous one or like the one that was still going to come. Deeks' life was marked by the same gestures, day after day. The only change in his daily routine were Vika's visits and his visits to the isolation cell, none of them he'd really look forward or eager to get.

He had been secluded in this place for more than two months already and tiredness, physical and mostly mental, was starting to show up. He couldn't sleep very well, worried that Thompson could have some fun with him during the nights, but also it was the fear that was keeping him awake. Every time he was asked to meet with his "therapist", his heart stopped, afraid that the evil woman would report him the death of one of his friends. Until today though, she had only showed pictures of his team, of his friends as they were going on with their normal life, like nothing had really happened, like he was just a long lost memory.

She had showed him Sam and Callen laughing at a bar while drinking a beer, Eric surfing at the beach, Nell buying stuff for her house... even Hetty jogging, but it was seeing Kensi, walking at the beach with Monty, talking and smiling to another man, that had hurt him the most. He couldn't believe she had forgotten him, not so soon; ok he had asked her to do that, but she had promised him not to give up on him. She was smiling, that smile she usually gave him, that smile that could brighten even the darkest day.

Deeks felt a wave of desperation and anger mounting inside of him as Vika's words resounded in his ears "They are moving on, Marty dear. They are going on with their lives, forgetting about you... you're here, suffering, and they are outside, having fun... my poor poor Marty" he had wriggled even more violently in his bindings the day she told him that, hoping to hide the tears that were forming in his eyes, but she had noticed it. She had seen them and she had laughed, laughed out loud, enjoying the moment.

"You have a job to do!" a cold voice shouted at him, taking him back from his thoughts, as he was kneeling on the filthy floor of the restroom. His job of the day was to brush the dirty tiled floor with a simple brush, something Abbott had ordered him to do and something he was supervising intently "You better do it well if you don't want to end in isolation again"

Deeks chuckled bitterly, as he wiped away the sweat from his forehead "Oh well, as you need an another excuse to send me there" he hadn't finished talking yet, that the guard kicked him on his back.

"You will never learn to shut up" the older man yelled at him before opening his zip and peeing on the floor, right next to the inmate's struggling form "You better clean this place and do it well" he laughed satisfied.

The cop threw some water to the floor and went back to his job, silently cursing the man.

"You know Deeks, I have to say you're surprising me, I thought you were weaker" Abbott started out of nowhere, circling the prisoner as a shark ready to launch its attack "I thought you'd break sooner"

"I am man full of surprises" grinned Deeks, between ground teeth, bracing himself waiting for another blow to be delivered, but this time he was the one surprised, because the guard didn't hit him, but simply laughed at him.

"You're a funny guy, I can grant you this" Abbott stopped laughing and leaned forward the cop, with angry expression "And this is why I will enjoy breaking you day after day. I will take that cheeky grin out of your face forever. I will make you regret killing my brother, I will do it for the rest of your life. Isn't it a nice perspective? Don't you like it?"

"Chief Abbot" a man interrupted the older man's speech "Warden Limpkin needs to see you in his office"

Abbott turned towards Deeks, smiling evilly "Don't be too happy, Deeks. I will leave you for a little while, but when I'll be back, I want this place shining like a spa, if not, you know where you'll be headed"

"Oh don't worry, you'll be able to eat on the floor" the cop said, spitting on the tiles and brushing, smiling cunningly.

"Asshole!" the guard told him viciously, before leaving.

As Abbott had left, Deeks craned his neck and stretched his long legs, not to mention his back that was aching fiercely "Son of a bitch" he muttered, putting himself into a sitting position. He was aware that the guard will send him to isolation, whether he completed his job or not, so a little pause couldn't be so bad.

Once again his mind wandered and the pictures Vika had showed him flashed in front of his eyes. No, it was impossible, they were his friends, his family, they couldn't forget about him so easily. Kensi wouldn't do that, not his Kensi, not the woman he loved. Deeks was so lost in his thoughts, that he didn't hear a door of one of the toilets behind him opening, he didn't see a man sneaking outside; he didn't see Michael Thompson holding a knife and moving silently towards him.

Deeks didn't see that coming. When his instinct screamed at him, warning him of the imminent danger, it was too late... the knife dug deep into his side, twisted a couple of times to inflict a biggest damage, to inflict a great deal of pain.

He cried out as blood started pouring out of the wound, weakening him. The restroom spun making him nauseous, then everything went black and darkness engulfed him.

Deeks blinked as a feeble light reached his eyes. A smell of anesthetic pervaded his nostrils as he tried to get out of the numbness, his mouth felt like cotton, dry cotton to be sincere since swallowing was painful.

"Well, look who's finally back to the land of living" a voice greeted him as a shadow entered his visual field "Here, take this, you might need it"

An ice chip was pushed into his mouth and immediately he felt the fresh sensation invading his throat and all of his senses started to kick in. He tried to move but sadly for him, his wrists and ankles were restrained to the bed and in spite of all of his attempts, he couldn't move a single muscle.

"Ah ah ah, you should know by now that moving is not good for you" Vika's hand danced along his chest, stopping on his wounded side, putting a pressure on it.

Deeks suppressed a cry, biting his lip, not wanting to show her he was in pain.

"I bet it hurts, doesn't it? You gave us quiet a scare Marty, for a couple of days we thought you wouldn't have made it" she told him, smiling viciously, sitting back in her chair next to the bed "You've been out almost a week, poor Marty dear, you were delirious, with the fever burning your body and the only thing you were able to do was weeping, calling for Kensi... ahahaha it almost broke my heart!" her laugh resounded in the room.

The cop tried once again to struggle in the restraints, but his body was so weak, his side burnt and he was barely able to keep his eyes open.

"No, no, no, this is bad for you, you can't do that. There's no way you can free yourself, so save your strength. I bet you're going to need it soon" her voice became sharp as a razor, with a pleased note that made Deeks even angrier.

"What do you want?" he asked, lifting his head in spite of the pain.

"What do I want? It's time for our therapy session, Marty, did you forget about it? And today I have something for you" Vika rummaged through her bag, until she finally found a yellow envelope. With studied slowness, she opened it "Something special"

Deeks' heart was pounding in his chest, almost ready to explode. There was something different in her expression, a triumphant note that sharpened her features; her green eyes sparkled with happiness as she looked at him.

Vika took out some pictures from the envelope, this time they were real pictures, not digital ones "So, how do you like these?"

The cop felt a pang at the pit of his stomach as the first picture appeared in front of his tired eyes, his breath became ragged, the pain exploded in his side "No... no..." he mumbled unable to fight the knot clenching his throat.

"What? Don't you like what you see, Marty dear? I was told that he suffered... a lot. It was very painfu"

Tears formed in his eyes as Deeks couldn't take his glance away from Monty's agonizing form on the ground of what he recognized to be his apartment. There were dozen of pictures taken from different angles, in all of them it was clear the pain the poor dog was going through "You evil bitch!" he managed to say struggling to move. He wanted to put his hands around her neck and choke her to death "You..." the emotions though were too strong and in addition to his weakened physical state, he could only sank into the mattress, sobbing.

Vika smiled, satisfied for what she saw, she enjoyed seeing the desperation, the deep sorrow, in the man's eyes. Her plan was working so well, because not only he was suffering because of all the abuses he was receiving in the prison, but mostly, she was breaking him, taking everything away from him, his dignity and everything he cared the most in his life as he had taken away a great part of herself. The dog was just the tip of the iceberg, but if just one useless thing like a dog did this to him, she would only be pleased of what losing the people he loved, might do to him "This is just the beginning, Marty dear, just the beginning" she laughed loudly.

"You're a monster! An evil bitch... gah!" Deeks screamed at the top of his lungs, in frustration because of his inability to do anything, to stop her "I will kill you!" he yelled still thrashing and tossing as the restraints bit the skin of his wrists and ankles.

"There's nothing you can do Marty, there's no way out for you" the evil woman collected all the photographs, leaning on him, whispering in his ears "Who's going to be next, Marty? Who's going to die?" she passed her hand over his face, her manicured nails scraped his long stubble, giving him chills. Then she stood up, wearing the scared mask of Dr. Lisa Wessler as she called for help.

Dr. Flemming and a male nurse stepped into the room along with two guards who took care of Vika, protectively. "Take her out" the doctor said before instructing the nurse "I need a sedative, 5cc now" he ordered as he moved at his patient's side.

Deeks was still struggling when he felt the doctor's cold hands touching him, probing him. There was something vicious in the way he did it, in the way his fingers danced on his bare skin.

"Don't struggle, you're going to pull the stitches apart" Flemming told him as his attention moved to the side wound. He bit his lips trying to steady his breathing; the doctor couldn't hide the fact that he found this man very exciting, but he couldn't let go his instinct, not now, not here.

When the nurse came back with the sedative, the cop saw the needle being inserted into his IV and soon a peaceful sensation overwhelmed him, in distance he could still see Vika's satisfied face as Flemming's words echoed in his ears. Once again the images of Monty, his loyal friend, appeared in front of his eyes and he couldn't suppress the tears anymore. He let them fall as he cried himself to unconsciousness.

* * *

Kensi arrived at the Mission, walking into the bullpen finding Sam and Callen waiting for her.

"So?" the ex-Seal asked, truly concerned.

"The vet said that he's going to be fine. He's out of the woods" she said smiling relieved. It had been five rough days for her on top of what was already going on in her life, but at least something good had come out of them "She said that the poison is finally out of his system. It will take him some time to be up and running, but Monty will be fine"

Callen saw the relief on her face and he could release the breath he was holding. He still remembered when Kensi had called them to tell them that Monty had been poisoned. She truly thought that the poor dog was going to die and the simple idea was killing her "That's good to know. Some good news finally" the blue eyed team leader said, not wanting to think what Monty's death could have done to his friend.

Since Deeks had been sent to jail, Kensi had become even more attached to his dog as she wanted to give Monty the love she couldn't give to his master. It was a normal process, a sort of transitive property, that probably helped her to get through this difficult period, that gave her something to cling on. No one was fooled by her attitude, by her continuous saying she was ok, they all knew she was far from being fine, hell none of them was really all right. And the worst part was that anyone couldn't find a way to set things right.

"Yes, it's very good, I wouldn't even want to start imagining if Deeks came back and..." Kensi' voice broke a little, she was reflecting out loud, speaking what was in her mind "...and he would not find Monty at home, waiting for him"

"Kensi..." Sam got up from his desk and approached her; he wanted to give her a hug, but she pushed him away.

"No, Sam, I'm fine. Really..." she tried to deny the obvious, but it was hard. These were her teammates, her friends, they knew her.

Callen simply raised his eyebrow skeptically as his partner stepped a bit closer to her "Kensi, we all know that you're not fine, maybe if you could talk about it, maybe..." the big man told her gently.

"Maybe what, Sam? Maybe if I talked about how I feel, Deeks would be back with us and not in that damn place?" she snapped, losing a bit of her control, hating herself from doing it.

"No, but maybe you will feel a bit better" Sam insisted "We all know that it's hard for you, but keeping everything bottled inside won't help you. It only hurts you more"

"Kensi we are not blind, we know, we know what you're going through" the team leader joined his friends, standing next to them "Heck Kensi, when we came to Deeks' apartment, when you found Monty... you were... it hurts us seeing you like that, because we're friends, we care about you"

Kensi raised his eyes to the ceiling, not wanting to show her deeper emotions "I am sorry for that, but I won't be able to... I..." she hesitated, wishing that her heart could slowed down a little "I, I simply want him back. Am I asking too much?"

Sam was moving to hug her, to give her some comfort when Eric's whistle interrupted him "Guys, we have a case" the tech announced almost triumphantly. It had been a while since they had a real one and probably they really needed to do some work to take their minds away from heavy thoughts "...and Hetty said to move quickly!"

The ex-Seal simply laid a hand on Kensi's forearm "Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah, thanks" she simply said; she was aware that things were not going to be good at all. This was going to be the first real case without Deeks watching her back, she was not sure she will be able to go through it without thinking about it, without feeling his reassuring presence beside her. Damn, why did all of this happen? Since when she had become so dependent on Marty Deeks? Probably since the day she had fallen in love with him. She sighed heavily, closing her eyes "I'll be fine Sam" and with that she climbed the stairs headed to Ops.

"Eric, what have we got?" Callen asked as usual once he stepped through the door.

"Ok guys, meet Corporal Daniel Bronson" an image of a young man, in his mid twenties, with blond hair and dark eyes, proudly wearing his uniform, appeared on screen "According to his parents he was supposed to come home two days ago after a mission in Afghanistan, but he never showed up. We checked with his unit and they touched the American soil perfectly in time, three days ago. Before leaving, Bronson told his buddies that he would stop by a shop to buy a gift for his mother, then he would go straight home"

"This is the camera feed of the shop he talked about" Nell intervened as a video played on the big screen, showing the Corporal walking inside the shop.

"Stop, there" Sam said indicating something "There... can you see that?"

"Yes, it seems that someone spoke with Bronson while he was there" Kensi intervened, narrowing her eyes trying to have a clear view of the entire scene.

"Eric..." Callen was asking the tech to work on the facial recognition when a photograph popped up.

"Jamal Asahmi. Pakistani citizen. He has a regular authorization to come to our Country due to his job. He owns a high tech company in the Peshawar area, everything is legal at first sight" the petite analyst explained, without stopping working on her keyboard "According to his passport, he got to LA five days ago and he's supposed to leave tomorrow"

The team continued watching the video "Bronson seemed very familiar around the guy, well, actually I can even say that they were very friendly" Kensi stated gravely as on screen Corporal Bronson was leaving the shop with Asahmi.

"Oh yes, absolutely. Is this everything we got?" the ex-Seal was a bit disappointed, he had hoped that they had something more to work on.

"Yes, it's all we got. This is the last image we have of Corporal Bronson. After leaving the shop, he simply vanished" Eric turned to face the rest of the team, aware that they wanted more, that they needed more "Asahmi has a residence here in Los Angeles, the address has already been sent to your phones"

"Does Corporal Bronson have any particular skills or work in some special unit? Something that could give us a clue about his disappearance?" it was the first time Hetty spoke since they had been called in Ops, something a bit out of character, even for her.

"Language. His particular skills are all about languages. It seems that Bronson is some kind of language genius. He can speak more than fifteen languages with all of their relative dialects, including every kind of Arabic dialect. According to his file, he could learn a new one in just few hours" there was a hint of admiration in Nell's words.

"Maybe this Asahmi guy wants him to translate some documents" Eric suggested without too much conviction.

"Maybe or there's something more" Callen sighed heavily "Sam, Kensi, let's go check Asahmi's place. The guy is supposed to leave tomorrow, maybe we can convince him to prolong his stay"

The three agents were leaving Ops when Hetty stopped them "Wait, there's something more"

Everyone stared at the Operations Manager, her voice had a little crack, something they were not used to hear and her expression was far from pleased "There's someone you have to meet first" the door of the room opened and a man in his forties, with short brown hair and foxy hazel eyes walked inside "Please everyone, meet Special Agent Russel Frost. Assistant Director Granger assigned him as Miss Blye's new partner"

Silence fell into the control room, everyone shocked by the unexpected news, even Frost seemed very uneasy.

"Look, I know..." he wanted to say something, but Kensi shushed him.

"You just shut up!" she almost yelled, before turning her attention to Hetty "Hetty, I don't need a new partner. I have already one and I'm good with that"

"I know Miss Blye, as I said I didn't request a replacement for Mr. Deeks, but Assistant Director Granger thinks that you can't go on the field alone and that you need a partner since yours is not available at the moment" the older woman tried to explain, hoping not to hurt her agent's feelings more than it had already happened.

"But... I don't want a new partner! Deeks is my partner!" Kensi was headed out of Ops, she didn't even want to think about having someone else at her side, not this Frost guy or anyone else. She knew it sounded childish, but she only wanted Deeks.

"Miss Blye, a word please, alone" Hetty said calmly, but her tone didn't leave space to any protest "In my office, please" she passed by her agent and walked outside.

Kensi cast a look at her teammates, at their shocked expressions, then she followed her boss.

"Guys, I am sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble" Russel Frost started, looking guilty and honest "I simply received a call yesterday night, telling me to show up this morning because I have a job to do"

It was Sam that talked to him first "It's not your fault, we can understand. Sam Hanna, by the way"

"Callen" the team leader extended his hand to shake it.

"Russel, Russel Frost" the new agent nodded.

"Those two are our techie geniuses Eric Beale and Nell Jones" the ex-Seal indicated the two techs that were working on their computers, but stopped to send a wave to Frost.

"I... don't know, but I think you're not that happy to see me here"

"It's not that, it's just that maybe it's a bit too soon, especially for Kensi" Callen told Russel, not sure whether to be upset or disappointed. He was aware that after three months, getting Deeks out of the prison was hard, harder than they thought at first, especially since they had nothing in their hands, but if Granger or Vance had thought to replace him, maybe the whole agency had given up on him and this was what made him absolutely furious.

"I, I heard about it..." Frost spoke with a kind voice, not sounding judgmental at all "I mean about her partner, well that was on the news mostly everywhere, it was hard not to know about it"

Sam narrowed his eyes, not sure where the man was going with his talking "Look, for your own safety, you better not to talk about Deeks with Kensi. Not now. First because she's going to kill you" he paused staring straight into Russel's hazel eyes "And second, if you hurt her in any way, we're going to kill you"

Frost froze, not sure how real the threat was, but Sam was a big scary guy and he seemed pretty serious.

"Oh come on Sam, don't scare him like on his first day" Callen laughed, patting his partner on his shoulder "Come on, we have a job to do. Russel we'll brief you in a blink of an eye" he walked out of Ops followed by his partner and by a reluctant Frost.

* * *

"Hetty, I don't want a new partner!" Kensi almost yelled as she followed the Operations Manager to her office.

"Miss Blye, please calm down" Hetty tried to control her agent, but she knew from the beginning that it was a hard job "And let me explain, first"

"There's nothing to explain. I have a partner and I don't need a new one!" the agent insisted, she really didn't want to hear reasons.

"Miss Blye, sit down" the older woman indicated the chair n front of her "It's not a suggestion, it's an order"

Reluctantly Kensi sat down, barely able to contain her anger.

"Miss Blye, I can imagine what you're going through, but..."

"Really? Can you imagine?" the younger agent remarked ironically "Because if you really knew, you'd be as much upset as I am right now!"

Hetty shook her head, it was going to be harder than she had thought "Miss Blye, I know that you don't want a new partner, and trust me when I said that I would like you to work with Mr. Deeks, but this doesn't depend on me. It was not my choice, but I can understand why Owen assigned you a new partner. Sending you alone on the streets, doing your job is out of discussion"

"So let me do my job with Sam or Callen" Kensi protested "If the problem is that I'm alone but don't do this to me, Hetty! Not a new partner!"

"Miss Blye, why are you really upset? I don't think it's because of Mr. Frost himself"

The younger woman froze for a moment, as a mix of different emotions almost overwhelmed. Why was she upset? "Because, because I have a partner..."

"Who is not here at the moment" the Operations Manager told her with a calm voice; she truly could understand her agent's struggle, her inner battle, it was written in her eyes.

"But he will be when we'll find a way, when we'll find something to get him out of that place"

"Kensi, you know very well that, that even if you are not going to like it, it might take a lot of time to do that. We've been working for more than three months, using all of our resources, but we didn't find anything useful. What if..." Hetty was interrupted by Kensi's firm voice.

"Don't say that, Hetty! Deeks is innocent. He doesn't deserve to be in jail, he..." she paused, closing her eyes, not to let the tears she was barely holding, falling "I am not going to give up. I can't!"

"Kensi..."

"No Hetty!" the agent yelled, more desperate than angry "I promised, I... I am not ready to give up. I don't want to"

"And you think that accepting a new partner means accepting the fact that Mr. Deeks won't come back" the Operations Manager stated gravely, sighing heavily.

"I can't abandon him Hetty, I promised him" Kensi's voice was nothing more than a whisper now "He... when... when I saw him, he said he was going to fight, but his eyes were so tired Hetty, what if he doesn't have the strength to fight anymore? I can't... I simply can't..."

There was a moment of awkward silence between the two women, broke only by Hetty stirring her omnipresent tea "Take a cup of tea, Miss Blye"

Kensi tentatively took the cup her boss offered her, sipping it, slowly "They gave up, didn't they? Vance, Granger... they think he's guilty"

"Kensi, please, don't do this to yourself..."

"Do this to myself? They gave up on him! They won't move a single hand to help him! How long until they'll tell us to stop working on his case? Oh wait, maybe they already did it" the younger agent's expression hardened and her eyes were even darker than usual "Well, they won't stop me! I don't care about what they think! Deeks is innocent and I'll prove it, with or without NCIS help! As I proved that my father has been killed and that he was a great man!" she jumped on her feet, slamming the palm of her hand on the desk.

There was a little amused smile on Hetty's lips, as she enjoyed seeing her agent so determined "I hope this doesn't mean that you're leaving the agency"

"Oh if this is what they want, well,tell them that I won't quit until I'll get Deeks out of jail! If the price I have to pay is to work with someone else, well I'll do that, but they better keep in mind, that I won't give up. Deeks might not be a NCIS agent, but he worked with us, risked his life with us, did our job and he did it very well. And I respect him too much to simply quit. I will do my job, I will work with Frost, but you better tell Granger, Vance or whoever will have a say in this matter, that I won't stop looking for a way to get my partner back!" Kensi cast one last glance at Hetty, then turned on her heels and walked away towards the bullpen.

The Operations Manager watched her leaving and she couldn't suppress an even more amused smirk "I shouldn't have said it better, Miss Blye!" she sipped another bit of her tea and then leaned against the back of her chair, inhaling deeply "Love is such a powerful sentiment..."

* * *

Thanks for sticking around till now in spite of the darkness :) I wish the end of the story (when it'll come) will be worth the waiting.


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks to everyone who pointed out that there are some plot holes in this story, you're right, I know. I'll try to make up with them as much as I can, but the story is already finished and changing it is not easy.

I'm going to post three chapters in a row, because I am not so sure when I'll be able to update and because I feel like I need to give you (and myself) some... hope. If you'll make it through these three chapters, there will be a change:) You'll see that.

Consider the next chapters as a long one that I just divided in three parts for an easy reading (but man is it long?!).

Here's the first part.

* * *

No Way Out – Chapter 13

Hetty sat at her desk almost unable to contain his anger. She had just had an animated conversation with Director Vance and she was not satisfied at all by the way it ended. The director simply wanted them off Deeks' case because it was costing them too much in terms of money and of time spent looking for something they will never find. Practically as Kensi had pointed out and as all of them suspected, NCIS was giving up on him and the Operations Manager could not accept it.

But she was even more angrier for the fact that she was finding herself in front of a lot of closed doors, like it never happened to her. She had tried to talk to the Warden of the Mojave Correction Center but the man never returned any of her calls and instead he sent an email to both Vance and Granger telling them about her attempt of interfere of his work. She even called for some personal favors to some of her contacts at CIA, hoping to find someone who could help them to break this situation, but nothing useful came out. She tried to find information about the psychologist who was not allowing them to visit Deeks, but the files about the doctor were classified and even Eric's skills were not able to crack them.

Hetty was getting frustrated because it was like someone was tracking their movements and putting obstacles on their way, stopping them from going anywhere. It had never happened to her, not even once, so whoever was behind all of this was too damn good. "Mr. Deeks, Mr. Deeks, who did you make so angry?" she wondered leaning against the back seat of her chair, closing her eyes. She need to think, because if the normal channels were not working, she needed to invent something that could change the cards in play.

"Ehm ehm" a fake cough took her away from her thoughts.

"Yes Miss Jones?" Hetty said without even opening her eyes.

"Hetty, I may have some news on Monty's poisoning. You asked me to update you whenever I found something" Nell said, handing the Operations Manager a folder. After Kensi had called telling all of them what happened Hetty had asked her to start an investigation about it, fearing that this was something personal against Deeks, related to this whole mess, but what she found seemed to move to another direction "It seems that in the last few weeks other ten dogs were poisoned in that neighborhood with the same substance and with more or less the same modus operandi, six before this happened to Monty and four after. Yesterday the Police arrested a man who was sneaking into a house two blocks away from Deeks' apartment. He confessed; it seems that his daughter was attached by a pit-bull a couple of months ago, surviving miraculously; the man went a bit crazy and wanted revenge against every dog he met. The Police closed the case".

"So, it's nothing personal against Mr. Deeks" there was a little hint of disappointment in Hetty's voice, like she had wanted to finally have something to work on, because at this point they were not going anywhere.

"So it seems" Nell didn't sound convinced nor convincing though.

"Do I sense a little uncertainty in your voice, Miss Jones? Do you have doubts?"

"Well, I don't know. It looks like a pretty rounded story, but I have the feeling that there's something missing here" the analyst narrowed her eyes as she was trying to find a valuable explanation.

"So keep looking Miss Jones until you won't be convinced" the Operations Manager trusted her men's and women's instinct not to take Nell's doubts seriously "Thanks you"

"Ok, good. I will let you know" hesitantly the analyst walked backwards to leave, but she stopped "Any luck with your calls?"

"Sadly no" Hetty stated gravely, not liking the answer at all.

"Well, keep trying" Nell smiled then left, heade back to Ops.

The Operations Manager nodded, smirking "Of course I will, Miss Jones" she told mostly to herself.

* * *

Deeks sat outside after almost two weeks he had spent in infirmary, letting the sun kissing his skin; the wound on his side was healing slowly, but at least he had been allowed to get out of that place. He hated being strapped to the bed during Vika's visits and even during Dr. Flemming's examinations. The man seemed to have a particular liking in touching him, laying his skinny fingers on him, the unsettling sensation gave him chills.

His stay at the infirmary had been haunted by the nightmares, he couldn't take away Monty's image from his mind and a knot formed in his stomach just thinking about it. Vika had killed his dog, his loyal companion, using this to hurt him and sadly Deeks knew that this was just the beginning. She was playing with him, taking all the time she wanted. It was a form of psychological torture that she was enjoying immensely and that was wearing him out. Slowly, but continuously.

Living in this place was not helping, always watching his back, always afraid of someone trying to kill him, always waiting for the next punishment Abbot was going to give him.

All of this was getting to him, draining all of his energies; it was a very slow process, but it was consuming. Deeks was trying to collect all of his strengths, but day after day, it was getting harder, fighting more difficult.

There was only one thing that was keeping him going, that was keeping him fighting. Kensi. Just thinking about her, thinking about the fact that maybe he will see her again, well, that gave him enough strength to go through another day. At first the pictures Vika had showed him, the one portraying Kensi talking and smiling to another man, had unsettled him, sending him on the edge of a precipice, but then, well, he had realized that this was just another of her dirty tricks and his anger had grown exponentially.

Now, if only he could find a way to talk to his friend, to warn them about the danger, to tell them about Vika being back in the city, but how? How could he do that? He was not allowed to have any visitors, Abbott was breathing on his neck, just waiting for him to make something stupid just to enjoy punishing him and hurting him, Thompson showed up his true nature when he had stabbed him, there could be only one option. Escape. Deeks laughed at the absurdity of his own idea. His eyes landed on the armed guards on the turrets, on the barbed wire fence, on the high voltage warning signs placed on it and he couldn't stop himself from laughing. He was going crazy. Just thinking about escaping was craziness.

"Marty!" a joyful voice reached his ears "I'm so happy to see you!" Eduardo Montero told him, approaching him and sitting next to him "How are you feeling? I... I heard that it was bad, that you almost died"

"Hey Eddy" Deeks greeted the young man who was still the only person who actually talked to him, giving him a bit of humanity. He couldn't be more grateful to the kid for that, this was something he needed, that he longed so badly. For someone so talkative as he was, being forced not to have human contact with anyone was just something else that added stress to his already stressful situation "I'm good, thanks"

"Are you sure? Because you, because you're still so pale. Did... did they treat you well in the infirmary? I asked if I could visit you, but they, they didn't let me"

As Eddy was speaking, Deeks noticed the almost faded bruises on the boy's jaw "Eddy, what did they do to you?"

"Nothing!" Eduardo turned his face away "No one did anything to me"

"And what about those bruises? Come on let me see" the cop tried to touch the boy who winced at the movement "Eddy, no! Tell me they didn't beat you, because of me"

Eddy didn't say anything, just bowed his head, ashamed "I fell... in the bathroom"

"Damn it!" Deeks cursed, slamming his head against the wall he was leaning against, a bit too hard than he intended. He put a hand behind the younger man's neck "I'm sorry, Eddy. I'm really sorry. I, I told you I was a bad company for you"

Eddy smiled, bitterly "Oh it's nothing that I haven't had in the past, my father's punches made much more damage"

Deeks was shocked by the revelation, seeing himself in his friend for a moment "You father... beat you?"

"Yes, he used to get very high on drugs and so he released his frustrations on me and my little brother but my uncle Ignacio took care of him and now my father can't harm anyone anymore" Eduardo said, smiling at the cop "You, are you close to your father?"

Deeks took a deep breath before answering, curving his lips in a bitter grin "My father is dead, but he was a bastard who used my mother and me as punching balls every time he got drunk" he could see the understanding in the younger man's face as he nodded to him "I couldn't take it anymore and one night when he pointed a shotgun at me, I shot him"

"How old were you?" Eddy asked, without even looking at him.

"Eleven"

"And did you kill him?" the kid insisted.

"No"

"Too bad, he would have deserved it" Eddy said with a cold voice, nothing like his usual kind voice "I'm glad my uncle killed my father"

"I'm glad I have never seen him again" Deeks added, feeling a bit relieved after he said those words.

They stayed silent for a few moment, then Eddy finally spoke, being back to his cheerful mode "You know, tomorrow is going to be a great day"

The cop furrowed his brows, trying to guess what could be so great in this place

"Tomorrow I'm going to see my mother and my little brother. They are going to visit me. It's been more than a month and I miss them so much. You know, Julio is such a smart kid, he's fifteen and he's a little genius" while talking Eddy noticed, Deeks' sad expression "Why no one visits you? Don't you have anyone outside?"

"According to my therapist, I can't receive any visit, because I'm paranoid and extremely dangerous" even if there was a high dose of irony in his words, the cop couldn't hide the deep sadness constricting his heart.

"Oh well, if you want I can... do you want to send a message to someone? I can ask my brother to do that" Eduardo suggested.

"What? Eddy... yes... no... it's dangerous, they record the conversations. If anyone would have to find out, they will punish you. I can't ask you that. It's too dangerous"

"Marty, you're the only friend I have in this place. You helped me. You got hurt because of me and you always treated me as a real person, this is the least I can do for you" Eddy looked straight into the cop's blue eyes with his dark ones, filled with gratitude "No one deserved to be denied to see his loved ones, so if I can help you, I'll do it with pleasure. And Julio and I have a secret code, I can tell him everything without anyone understanding a single bit or suspecting anything. We invented it when we didn't want our father to get what we were talking about, well, actually, it was uncle Ignacio that gave us a hint to create the code"

Deeks felt a warm feeling invading his heart, it was the first bit of hope he had been given in months. If he was able to warn his team, maybe they will stop Vika and they will be safe "I can't even start to thank you for this, Eddy"

"Oh don't even think about it. I'll do it with a great pleasure. That's what friends are for" the kid smiled happily.

The cop could only pass his arm around the younger man, guiding him towards him and ruffling his hair, in brotherly way "One day you will tell me about your uncle Ignacio, he looks like a cool guy"

"He's the best, I'm like a son to him. He saved our lives and I will never stop being grateful to him" Eddy's expression brightened as he talked about his uncle but then he became serious "So, who do you want to contact?"

"Ok, Eddy listen to me. It's very important. I'm sure your brother won't be able to contact my teammates but maybe he will be able to go to the 10th precinct and talk to Lieutenant Bates"

* * *

Michael Thompson observed Deeks and Eddy talk, eavesdropping the conversation hidden behind the corner of the building. He listened to what they were saying with a cunning grin "Well, well, well, I think this is something Abbott would be very interested in. There's no peace for you Deeks, just remember it" he told himself before trotting away, hands in his pocket, whistling triumphantly.

* * *

"I'm sorry, really. I didn't have any intention to take anyone's place. You have to believe me" Russel told Kensi as they were walking out of the Mission. He was taking out the keys of his car when his angry partner stopped him.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked coldly.

"Getting my car, to go to Asahmi's residence" he told her, almost innocently.

"You got it wrong. My car. I drive!" she stated firmly, staring at Frost's surprised face as he lifted his hands in the air in sign of defeat.

"Ok, your car, your rules, you drive" he muttered, moving towards her car "I think that if I opened the door for you, you'd punch me, am I right?"

This time Kensi couldn't stop herself from chuckling, shaking her head "I'm sorry" she apologized, smiling, feeling a bit guilty "I think an apology is the least I can do and by the way, I'm Kensi Blye, your partner" she admitted, reluctantly, but she knew that Russel didn't have any faults. He didn't choose to be here and to take Deeks' place. There was no sense in releasing her frustration on him, others had created this situation, Granger, Vance and the head of NCIS. She should be mad at them, not at Special Agent Russel Frost.

"Russel Frost. your new, hopefully temporary, for you, partner" Frost gave her a kind smile "Look, I am the one who's sorry. I heard what happened to your partner and I didn't want to take his place. I'm only here to do my job which is going out on the fields with you, so maybe we won't be best of buddies, but we can behave civilly towards each other, don't you think?"

Kensi was touched by his words, something she didn't expect at all "Look, I was not mad at you, well a bit, I can't deny it, no offense, but not because of you as a person, mostly because of what you represent. Deeks is my partner, he's just away for a while" her voice was serious now, she couldn't help herself. She opened the car so they could get inside and her mind could be focused on something else, she really didn't want to break up in front of her new, temporary, partner.

"I can understand, and none taken" Russel smiled at her, noticing her puzzled expression "Offense... you didn't offend me"

"Thanks" she started the engine and drove her car away, lost in her thoughts.

"How long have you two been working together?" Frost's question came out of nowhere, but Kensi couldn't feel any malice in his voice, just curiosity.

"More than three years" she answered quickly, as her heart beat madly. Why was all of this affecting her so badly?

"And he's still LAPD, isn't he?"

Kensi's expression hardened as he turned her face to look at Frost "Where do you want to go with this questioning? You said you know what happened about Deeks, so you know he's not a cop anymore. They..."

"Wow, calm down. I didn't mean to upset you. I was simply wondering why he was still a cop while working with you at NCIS. I simply found it strange" Russel excused himself and once again, his hazel eyes seemed too honest for Kensi to be mad at him "Why don't we start from the beginning? I think I made a mistake asking about your partner, Sam and Callen warned me about, but I think my curiosity got the best of me, so please, I apologize. I won't ask you any more questions about your partner. Promise"

She studied him intently, looking for a sign of lie in his words, but she couldn't find any "Ok, I appreciate it"

"Good, then, so, just to start a normal conversation between two people who are getting to know each other, my name is Russel Frost, I'm 46 years old, I was born in New Orleans and I lived there until I was eight years old, then after my parents got divorced I followed my mother to New Mexico, I lived there until I decided to become a NCIS agent and later, I moved to California where I worked since getting my badge. I was based on Sacramento until yesterday, when I was summoned to come here"

"Family?"

"I've been married for twenty years and I've got two boys, Matthew who is 15 and Jarod who is 11. You?" Frost asked nonchalantly.

"The guys are my family" Kensi simply said, a little smile curved her lips "Thanks, for this, I was a real jerk, wasn't I?"

"Nah, I can imagine it's not easy for you. Look, I am only here to do my job, to come home at night to my family and nothing more, I don't want to take anyone's place, I don't want to wear anyone's shoes and trust me I will be happy when you'll have your partner back and I will be able to go back to my boring job in Sacramento" Russel gave her a reassuring and honest glance "So, what do you think, can we try to get the best from this partnership?"

"Yeah, I think I can do it" Kensi offered her hand and Russel shook it, firmly.

"So, let's do this job, partner"

Even if she couldn't hate him, Kensi felt weird and uneasy having someone else at her side, calling her partner, talking to her while they were driving to a suspect's house. It was in moments like this one, that she missed Deeks so much, she missed the way he was able to lighten the situation, the way he could simply smile at her or cracking another of his stupid jokes. She missed their normal daily routine, the little things that they did for each other every day. She missed him, now more than ever "I miss you Deeks and I can't wait to have you back. Please hang in there, just a little while longer, please" she told him silently, before turning her attention to the road and to her job.

* * *

It was just 8pm, the night was still young, but Eric decided that he could go home and have some relaxing time playing his favorite video game, maybe challenging someone on line. It had been awhile since he had done that and since today he could go back to his apartment at a decent hour, it could be the right occasion perhaps to catch up with it even if he was a bit tired.

Nell and he spent all day working on the case and trying to find some further clue about Monty's poisoning but they were at a dead end. Everything pointed towards the man the Police had arrested and there was nothing new that could let them think that it was anything personal against Deeks or related to this whole mess he found himself into "Who wants to kill dogs like that? It's barbaric!" the tech murmured, shaking his head as he reached his car, jumping on it and turning the engine on.

He was driving along the not so trafficked road, listening to some music, humming quietly, when a big truck appeared out of nowhere in front of him, crossing his path. Eric pushed with all of his strength on the brake pedal, but it was too late, the truck was getting closer and closer and his car was not slowing down.

With one last desperate effort, he sheered, working frantically on the steering wheel, and the car turned on the left, just enough that it didn't crash on the truck frontally. The impact was terrible, so strong that he was almost pushed outside in spite of the seat belt as his car ended its course right under the bigger vehicle.

Eric's world went back immediately as pain engulfed him, taking his breath away. He didn't see the dark figure approaching the site of the car crash, he didn't see the same figure taking pictures at his agonizing body. He didn't see the smile curving the figure's lips. All he could feel was his life slowly slipping away.

* * *

That morning Deeks got up almost unable to hide a bit of anxiety, this could be a very important day, because if Eddy's plan will work, the team, his friends, will be warned about Vika's threat and they will be able to save themselves. The safety of the people he cared was everything that mattered to him right now; he might not get out of this place anymore, but if his friends were safe, it'd be enough for him.

"What's the smile for Deeks? Are you having another meeting with that hot shrink of yours? I heard she's very good with her hands and her mouth" Thompson told him, taking him away from his thoughts "Come on, cop, tell me what you two do when you're all alone in that room. Is she that good? I bet you enjoy it when she gives you a blow job"

Deeks couldn't stand the man anymore, just the idea of Vika around him, touching him, turned his stomach upside down. Bile rose to his throat and a wave of rage engulfed his body. He launched himself against Thompson, pushing him against the wall, pressing his forearm to his cell mate's throat "You better think carefully what you say Thompson, because I'm losing my patience with you" his voice was low but steady, making him very intimidating.

Michael Thompson tried to talk, but the blond man was almost choking him, increasing the pressure to his throat. Fear started growing inside of him, he had never seen such hate and fury in the man's blue eyes, there was something into them that chilled his bones, a sensation he had never felt in ages.

"Don't you dare talk about that woman and me in that way. Never or I swear to God, I'm going to kill you" Deeks put some more pressure, seeing Thompson struggle to breath. The man was becoming blueish when finally he released his grip.

The bald man fell to his knees and started coughing, holding his throat, taking deep breaths "You're crazy, Deeks" he panted as he tried to get some air into his lungs "You will pay for this, just remember it. You will pay"

"I'm waiting" the cop sent him a challenging glance, lifting his eyebrows and opening his eyes wide, and doing so, he truly looked the part of a crazy guy.

The door of the cell opened and they were called outside. Their day was about to start.

When Deeks arrived at the mess hall, he was surprised not to see Eddy at his usual place and a gnawing sensation knotted his stomach. What if someone had heard them talking? What if someone had hurt the kid because of that? He tried to stay calm, maybe there was another explanation for Eddy's absence, maybe he was simply not feeling very well or he had been summoned to do some chores "Calm down, everything is fine. Just calm down"

He tried not to think about this during breakfast, but his worry and concern grew even more when all the inmates were called outside, in the yard. His hair prickled with fear, something should have happened if the guards wanted them out when they were supposed to do their daily work. Something serious and unexpected.

Warden Limpkin was waiting in the yard with a hard expression planted on his face, Abbott and other guards were at his side "Something very unpleasant, very disagreeable, happened this night. Something I despise with all of myself. Someone tried to escape but sadly for him, the guards caught him before he could even reach the fence"

Deeks' stomach wormed hearing those words, hearing the hate in Limpkin's voice and an alarm bell started ringing in his ears, deafening him.

"Sadly, the miserable attempt ended in bloodshed. The prisoner tried to react to his capture and the guards defended themselves" the Warden beckoned to one of the guards who walked away, returning few minutes later, carrying a body on his shoulders and throwing it on the ground, theatrically.

Blood froze in Deeks' veins as he recognized the still figure on the ground "No... no... NO!" he yelled as he walked towards Limpkin and the guards "You're lying. He..." he was pushing the other inmates aside, trying to get to the dead body, tears veiling his eyes.

The Warden gave a wary glance at Abbott who observed the blond man getting closer with a hard expression planted on his face.

When he finally arrived close enough, Deeks' heart melted at the sight of Eduardo Montero's motionless body. Blood covered the young man's chest, his eyes wide open, still full of pure terror. He knelt beside his friend, gently touching the body as he was afraid of breaking it. Tears were now flowing freely "No, he would have never escaped. He was going to see his family today" he muttered mostly to himself as he rocked his friend's body.

"The inmate tried to escape, it was our duty to stop him. When he attacked the guards, they couldn't do anything else other than defend themselves" Limpkin said dryly, dusting his expensive jacket.

Eddy's head rested on Deeks' lap and he was gently caressing his hair. He couldn't describe the pain he was feeling, it was like someone had taken away from him, ripped violently, a very important part of himself, the only glimmer of humanity he had left. Eddy was a nice kid, always ready to offer him a kind word; his company had helped him during these months. With his kindness, Eduardo Montero reminded him that there were people who were able to love in the world and not only people who lived only to hate someone else. Eddy's innocence reminded him of his life outside, of what he had outside this prison, what it was right fighting for. And now killing him, so brutally, they had taken that away from him. Eddy didn't deserve to die, not because of him, not because these sick bastards wanted to punish him "You killed him, you killed him without mercy. You fucking bastards!" with a sudden movement Deeks launched himself against the Warden, pushing him to the dusty ground and blinded by an insane fury, he started punching Limpkin with both of his fists. Blood splattered on his shirt and on his face as he broke the Warden's nose and his blows opened cuts on the old man's cheeks.

For a moment, no one was able to react at the gruesome scene, until Abbott jumped into action, hitting Deeks with his truncheon on the back, on the head, everywhere he could reach, with violence, with anger, satisfied only when he saw the blond cop hitting the ground in a heap, blood pouring out of a deep gash on his temple and from his mouth, but still conscious. While some guards helped Limpkin, assessing his injuries, Abbot kicked viciously Deeks' shaking body "You crossed the line, Deeks. This time you really crossed the line and you'll pay for this" he beckoned to his men "Take this piece of garbage to isolation and let him rot there until I'll feel he had enough"

The guards dragged the limp body away as the rest of inmates observed shocked the entire scene.

"You have work to do now, MOVE!" Abbott screamed at all the prisoners before turning on his heels and walking away "You won't get out of that alive Deeks, this time you really signed your death sentence"

* * *

The whole team was waiting impatiently for a doctor to come out and update them on Eric' condition. The news of the car crash had shocked everyone, hitting them like bolt from the blue. For sure it was not a great period for them all, first the hurricane of Deeks' arrest, then Monty being poisoned, then this...

"He's going to be ok, isn't he?" Nell asked unable to contain her emotions "Kensi, Eric is going to make, isn't he?"

"I'm sure he will be fine, he must be" the female agent told her, sitting in the chair beside her friend.

"I don't want to think about what could happen if.. if... he..."

"Miss Jones, you don't have to talk like this, not until we'll know something from the doctor. You have to be faithful that everything will be all right" Hetty intervened, sensing that the petite analyst needed to be calmed down. She could understand her feelings, in fact she hated herself being here waiting for good news of one of his men, not something she had ever been fond of.

Callen and Sam exchanged a knowing glance, standing still, leaning against the wall, while Russel simply observed them, sighing heavily. It was a bit too early for him to form a tight bond with these people, but he felt right being here, sharing the worry with them, almost surprised but how affected everyone was. These people, truly, were like a family.

It was just an hour later that a doctor finally approached them "Dr. Walcott" Hetty greeted him recognizing him immediately "How's Mr. Beale doing?"

"He's a lucky man, really. He will be fine" the doctor answered with his deep baritone voice, smiling kindly. He knew these people and he was glad to give them good news "He will have a big headache for some days due to a head injury, but nothing that a bit of rest won't cure"

"Are you telling us everything?" Kensi told Walcott, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

The doctor's smile became wider "No of course, but this is the worst part. He has a broken ankle and a sprained wrist, some contusions and cuts that will hurt, but, as I said, just some days of rest and he will be good as new. Really, he is very lucky. According to what they told me about his car, well, I think there was someone watching over him"

Everyone finally released the breath that they were all holding.

"Oh thank God" the Operations Manager said closing her eyes and sighing heavily.

"Can we see him?" Nell asked, unable to hide her concern.

"They were moving him to a private room as we're speaking, I'll ask a nurse to call you when he'll be ready" Walcott told them, his eyes stopped on Kensi and he felt a pang in his stomach "Kensi, can, can I talk to you for a moment?"

The female agent was caught a bit by surprise because of the request, but nodded in agreement "Yes, of course..."

The two of them moved away from the rest of the team and when they were at safe distance, Kensi asked "What do you want to talk about?"

"I only wanted to see how you're doing, Kensi" the doctor studied her intently, not missing her tired expression, the dark circles under her eyes, the fact that she had probably lost some weight.

"I'm fine, I don't understand why you're so concerned"

"Marty always told me that you say you're fine when you're not" Walcott's words hit a soft spot, he realized it when he saw her shocked expression and the hint of sadness that he could read in her eyes.

Kensi's jaw clenched, she really didn't want to have this conversation, she was aware that the doctor only wanted the best for her, he had become more like a friend than just a doctor, a friend for Deeks and for her too "I'm doing good, then. Satisfied?"

"No, I'm not, because I can feel that you're not good or fine or ok or whatever word you want to use!" he walked closer, looking at her straight in her eyes "Kensi, I can understand, I can imagine what you're going through. Marty is my friend too"

"And even if I will admit I'm not fine, nothing will change what happened to him or the fact that he's in jail for something he didn't do or the fact that I can't even see him or the fact that I have a new partner that I can't even hate because he's just too nice and the fact that I'm here in this damn hospital because one of my friends almost died this night!" she didn't want to, but she was breaking down as the weight of everything happened to her in the last period hit her like a running train "Oh damn it! I hate you!" she told Walcott who could only smile and stepping closer, holding her.

"I know Kensi, life sucks" the gentle doctor simply kept her in his arms, it was his way to help a friend and not only the one who was standing in front of him, but even the one who wasn't there "But you know Marty didn't want you to ruin your life, to destroy yourself because of him. Your well being is the most important thing to him. You should take care of yourself a little bit better if you want to be really fine when he will be back"

"You don't believe them, do you? I mean, you don't believe he did it" Kensi spoke with a feeble voice, so uncommonly for her.

"Kensi for what I know about Marty Deeks, I will never believe he could be capable of something like that. Well, he would be the last person who could kill someone in that way. Stabbing someone in the back? That's a coward gesture and Marty could be a lot of things, but a coward? No way" the doctor smiled, breaking the embrace.

"So why is he in jail? Why is the real killer still outside? Tell me, because I truly can't find an answer to this question"

"I wish I could give you one, but I trust you and your friends to find the real killer. I know that sooner or later you'll do that" Walcott nodded, taking Kensi's hand in his big one.

"I don't know, sometimes I think that everyone has given up on him, that deep inside even my friends think he's guilty" she admitted something that had been bothering her for days and something that she had never had the courage to say out loud.

"No, don't say that. You and your friends are like a family, I saw the way you behaved in the past, the way you were worried about one another. The fact is that not everyone reacts in the same way in front of the adversities and I'm sure that no one has really given up on Marty, no one. And you should do the same"

She sighed heavily, maybe this was what she just needed in this moment, maybe she only needed to talk to someone who had another perspective around things "Thanks, I think I needed this"

"You know you have a friend here, don't forget it" the doctor gave her one quick hug then let her go "Well, maybe I think it's time you go to see your friend, don't you think?"

Kensi nodded, feeling like someone had taken away a big weight from her shoulders "Yeah, I think so" she moved towards Walcott and kissed him on the cheek "Thanks"

"Wow, I hope Marty won't be too jealous because of this"

She smiled kindly "Maybe just a little" she winked at him "He always says that you are a heart-breaker"

"Ahahah oh yes, for sure" Walcott became serious "Take care Kensi, please"

"I will do" she said before turning on her heels and walking away.

The doctor watched her leave and his eyes stopped on a diminutive figure observing him in distance, nodding at him thankfully "My pleasure" he whispered, before going back to his job.

* * *

Darkness and pain. These were his only companions. Deeks didn't know how long he had been in the cell, it might be hours, days, he truly didn't know. His head was pounding, almost exploding, and the oppressing silence was interrupted only once in while by the sound of him retching dry heaves, since his stomach had been emptied long ago. His throat hurt, craving for a bit of water.

He was sitting, leaning against a wall, trying not to move too much in order to avoid further pain to his probably broken ribs. This time Abbott didn't go very easy on him, releasing all of his anger against him.

Deeks smiled bitterly remembering what had lead to this new punishment, not regretting his actions at all, but a sudden wave of sadness hit him when Eddy's lifeless eyes appeared in front of him. He wanted to cry, but he simply couldn't due to his increasing dehydration, but he sobbed, his body shaken by trembling that sent wave of agony through every cell "I'm... sorry Eddy... I'm so sorry... it's my fault..." consumed by the guilt he curled into a ball, hoping to forget about the pain, about the loneliness, about the deep sorrow.

The slot on the door opened in that moment and Abbott's smiling face peeked inside, clearly enjoying what he was seeing "Are you enjoying yourself Deeks? I hope so, because you won't get out of here, not for a long time, but you know the Warden is more magnanimous than I am" the door this time opened completely with a metal sound, light engulfed the small place. The Chief of the guards walked inside "Man, the stench is unbearable in here, we should do something for that, don't you think?" he walked closer to the inmate, yanking his head by his hair "Look at you, you're a stinky pathetic bastard" he released the grip and Deeks' head hit the ground while stars danced in front of the inmate's eyes.

The cop was so confused that he didn't see the guards walking inside, one holding a fire hose, but he felt the jet of cold water reaching his body. Breath was taken away from him as he tried to found a way to escape the jet, every nerve, every muscle, every bone screamed in agony and when he was sure that he was going to suffocate, it finally stopped.

"I hope you enjoyed it" Abbott laughed out loud as he walked out of the cell, closing the door behind him.

Deeks' body was shaken by a coughing fit, breathing was extremely painful, his lungs were burning for the effort. When finally the coughs stopped, he was exhausted and succumbed to darkness.

When he woke up, he was still trembling, even more violently than before; according to the temperature of the metal walls, it was probably night. There was still some water on the ground that hadn't dried off yet and desperately he licked it, giving a bit of refreshment to his dry throat. Then he embraced himself, hoping to warm his shivering body.

His mind wandered away from here and the scent of the ocean pervaded his nostrils; he imagined himself on a board, riding the waves with Kensi observing him in distance. Monty wagging his tail happily as he saw him approaching the beach; his heart broke and a lonely tear ran along his cheek. He was so tired, so weak, desperately wanting this to end.

A raging fever started burning him from the inside, shaking every cell of his body, contorting every muscle, when once again the slot of the door opened, but Deeks couldn't recognize who was standing there, lost in his delirium. He felt hands touching him, probing him, forcing a sip of water in his mouth. Darkness engulfed him once again. Was he dreaming? Was it real? Images flashed in front of his eyes and all of the sudden Vika's cunning smile was right there, her green eyes, cold as ice were staring at him filled with pure evil.

"No... no... please... go away" he murmured fighting something that existed only in his delirious mind. He felt like he was suffocating, drowning, like he was drowning in that pool at Carlsson's house "No... help me... please... stop it..."

Then a blinding light engulfed him; Deeks curled into a ball to escape from it, protecting his eyes so used to darkness, but strong arms grabbed him and dragged him outside. His eyes protested vehemently when the midday sun reached them, but he didn't have the strength to turn his face away, he simply closed them.

The guards released their grip on him and he fell to the dusty ground, sensing a presence towering him.

"I can give you that, you have more grit than I thought" Warden Limpkin told him with a hint of disgust; his nose was still patched, faded bruises adorned his face. He was protecting his head from the sun under an umbrella "But what you did doesn't admit any excuse. I wanted to let you rot in that cell for a long time, but Dr. Wessler said that you're sick, that you need your therapy so, let's do it this way. Today you'll have your therapy session, then, if you beg for forgiveness, I'll let you out of the cell. Sounds fair, don't you think?"

"Forgiv... ness? The same forgiveness...Eddy asked you... before you killed him?" Deeks' voice came out raspy and weaker than he wanted it to be, he cracked a bitter smile and his lips started to bleed "I am glad... I did what I did... I... I will do it again..."

Until that moment he hadn't realized that the other inmates were looking at the scene, in silence, it was impossible to hear a pin drop. Tension could be cut with a knife.

"Well, then. If this is your answer, I'll add another week, at least, to the two you have already spent in there. You'll be given a bit of water only every two or three days, I wouldn't like to see you dying too quickly" Limpkin walked away instructing his men "Take him to the interrogation room and secure him as usual, then call Dr. Wessler and tell her that her patient is ready. When she'll be finished with him, take him back to isolation"

Once again, the guards dragged him away and as the Warden told them, they prepared him for the therapy session with Vika.

After what it seemed a lifetime to him, the door of the interrogation room opened and Vika walked inside, smiling triumphantly.

"My poor Marty, you really know how to mess things up" she told him, approaching him and caressing his flushed face "Wow, you're burning up and I have to say that you smell awful. I wonder what Kensi would say if she could see you right now"

The last words caused the reaction she expected, Deeks tried to struggle, but his attempt was pathetic even at his own eyes.

"Ahahah, you're not in a great shape. Good, because I have something to show you, something that..." she paused, looking at the man in front of her who was staring at her with a devilish expression in spite of the pain he was clearly into. She had to admit it, he was surprising her because he was not giving up. A grin curved her lips, his attitude just prolonged his suffering, the physical and psychological torture she was putting him through "I'm sure you'll like what you'll see" she laughed out loud as she took out her phone "Look, this is Kensi's new partner. They have substituted you because they have given up on you. Just look at her face, does she look like someone with a broken heart? She forgot about you, no one has tried to see you, not even your Hetty Lange; don't you think that someone like her, with all of her resources couldn't have find a way to come and see you? They forgot about you, Marty, just live with that"

"No... you're lying..." he panted, shaking his head, breathing heavily "This is another... trick of yours... but... but I don't believe you..." he wanted to sound convincing, but it was hard. He was too weak, too tired.

"Oh but maybe you'll believe this" Vika worked on her phone and showed him some other photos.

Deeks' stomach turned immediately upside down and he couldn't stop himself from retching.

"Oh sorry, I should have warned you. I'm sorry for your geek friend, all in all, I liked him but I can grant you this, he didn't suffer" she pushed the phone in front of the cop's eyes, showing the pictures of Eric's bloodied face after the car accident.

"You're.,, a monster" he sobbed, feeling all of the sudden emptied of his remaining energies, feeling like someone had just punched him in the gut "You're the evilness personified. Why? Why are you doing this? Why don't you just kill me? Isn't it what you wanted?" he would have cried, but he simply couldn't, his voice sounded so broken...

Vika grabbed his jaw, squeezing it painfully "I want revenge Marty. Killing you would be just too quick. I want you to suffer and be consumed by the guilt. Two people and your dog are already dead because of you, two friends of yours. How many more before you'll finally give up? But you know what? I'm enjoying this game too much, so, I won't stop until I won't have killed everyone you care about" she released the grip on his face, laughing out loud, before collecting her stuff "Therapy is over for today, Marty, but I'll be back, don't worry. You just try to stay alive" she patted him on his cheek and then left the room, still smiling triumphantly.

As she walked away, the room started spinning and he felt sick; bile rose to his throat and he retched again, his stomach contorted in agony. He didn't even hear the guards coming to get him and bringing him back to the isolation cell. His heart was bleeding for another lost friend, dead because of him and for a moment he couldn't breathe, then his world went black and he fortunately fell into a restless oblivion.


	14. Chapter 14

Second Part

* * *

No Way Out – Chapter 14

Sam and Callen were driving towards the Mission that morning, both of them lost in their thoughts. The last events had put them on alert.

"What's bothering you?" Callen asked watching his partner driving intently his Challenger on the trafficked road.

"The same thing bothering you" the ex-Seal stated, shaking his head. He had trouble sleeping last night lost in his thoughts and he knew that his friend had the same problems "I can't believe it's just a coincidence"

"Yeah, first the whole mess with Deeks, the fact that even Hetty can't find a clue to help him… the fact that we can't even see him, it's like there's a conspiracy against him, against us" Callen continued taking a look outside the window "Then someone sneaks into Deeks' apartment and poisons Monty, but this was not enough. Eric has a car accident. Or we're having a period of very bad luck or there's something more behind it"

"The problem is that we can't prove anything! We couldn't prove Deeks' innocence as much as we can't prove that that man didn't act all alone and we can't prove that Eric's accident was not a simple accident. The man confessed and the truck that hit Eric's car had a proved mechanical failure, the driver couldn't do anything to avoid the crash" there was a lot of frustration in Sam's words and his hands clutched the steering wheel tightly until his knuckles whitened for the effort.

"Come on Sam, you know this can't be true, all of us know, why can't we find anything then?" the blue eyed agent punched lightly his leg, venting his anger in an uncharacteristic way for him.

"Whoever is behind all of this is good G, very good. He's always a step ahead of us, preceding all of our moves. He has resources, money and probably even the right connections because I have never seen Hetty with her hands tied like she is right now or Eric and Nell unable to find a single clue" the ex-Seal's voice was extremely serious "Whoever is behind all of this is angry enough to look for revenge and is smart enough to cover his tracks, blinding us"

"Do you think Deeks was his only target? Well because sending him to jail with a life sentence seems something very personal to me" Callen's mind was processing all the information they had, but he couldn't come out with something useful "Maybe we should go through once again the list of all the people who has a reason to hate him"

"We already did G… hundreds of times. We narrowed down the number to fifteen names, but most of them are in jail or out of the country probably" Sam paused, his tongue playing with his lips. He had left the sentence fall into the air as an idea had suddenly popped out of his head.

"What? What's in your mind?" his partner didn't miss that.

"I… I have this weird feeling. The more I think about it, the more I have the sensation that this has to be a woman's doing. This is the kind of plan a woman can come out with, because it's so subtle, so detailed… a man probably would have simply killed Deeks if he hated him so badly, making him suffer probably, but this… this sounds the kind of plan an evil woman could architect. Whoever did this to Deeks didn't want him to die, it would have been too easy, too quick. Whoever planned this wanted him to suffer, for a long time"

Callen nodded "You know Sam, I think you're right; this could narrow down the number even more" there was a smile on his face; it was like someone had turned on the light in a dark room and things were a bit clearer now "I'll call Nell asking to run a new search, maybe we'll be luckier this time. You know sometimes you surprise me, even after all of these years"

"Because I'm so smart, you have to admit it…" the ex-Seal winked cunningly.

"I wasn't thinking about that. It was more because you learnt so much from your experience" Callen chuckled and when he saw the puzzled expression of his friend, he added "Only someone who's been living for so long with a hell of a woman as your wife could come up with such a suggestion. Hey, no offense… you know I love your wife"

Sam shook his head "Shut up, G. You know she can kick your ass"

"Oh yes, that's why I always pick up on you and not on her" with that Callen took out his phone and dialed Ops updating Nell on the new developments.

* * *

"Nell, so... what's up?" Callen asked walking into Ops.

"Corporal Bronson has been found dead this morning not far from Asahmi's residence. He's been shot, well mostly executed with a gunshot at the back of his head" the analyst explained as she worked on her computer so some pictures showed up on screen.

"Mr. Callen I think it's time you pay another visit to Mr. Asahmi" Hetty suggested.

"But last time Kensi and Russel didn't find anything, the man even showed them his entire house. There was no trace of Bronson over there" the team leader protested a bit confused by the new evolution of the case. He was sure that Bronson and Asahmi were planning something together, but now with the Corporal dead things had changed.

"I know, but I think paying him another visit won't hurt anyone. Take all the team with you this time" the Operations Manager suggested calmly, but everyone knew it was an order.

"Ok, Nell send everything you have to our phones. And please call us if you have an update on that other matter too" and with that Callen was out of the room

Few minutes later two cars were driving fast towards Asahmi's residence. When they arrived in site, they found a strange calmness, no one was at the gate that had been left open.

"Something is wrong" Kensi said to Russel, her eyes were scanning her surroundings.

"Oh yes, so damn wrong!" Frost indicated something on his side of the road "Callen, Sam, we have two men down!"

The female agent stopped the car so her partner and she got out to check on the men "They've been shot, both with one in the chest" she shivered as a bad feeling assaulted her "I don't like this"

"Are you ok?" Russel asked her, sensing her uneasiness.

"Yeah... I... I just don't like it, that's all" she returned to the car and when her partner jumped on it, she drove towards the big house. A myriad of thoughts assaulted her mind, none of them was good. The scene she had just witnessed reminded her of something happened some time ago, something she wanted to forget desperately. She took a deep breath trying to focus and not to think about anything else.

They arrived just outside the entrance where they found Sam and Callen with other three dead bodies.

"What the hell happened here?" Sam wondered as, gun in his hand, he started walking inside, followed by his partner

"Kensi, Russel, back entrance" Callen instructed, carefully moving.

"We've got another body here" Frost's voice came from the intercom.

"It's clear inside. There's no one here" replied the ex-Seal "Any sign of Asahmi?"

"No, there's no one here either" Kensi stopped abruptly as Russel and she reached the pool, her blood froze in her veins when she saw it. She was petrified, her face pale. And once again she was brought back in time.

"Kensi, Kensi, hey, what's up?" Frost joined her at the edge of the pool, his eyes landed on the floating body in the water "Callen, Sam, I think we found Asahmi"

"We're coming to your position" Callen said a minute before showing up at the other side of the swimming-pool. He exchanged a wary glance with his partner and both stared at Kensi whose eyes were locked on Asahmi's body "Oh hell!"

The two senior agents rushed to join their two teammates "Russel, take Kensi away from here!" Sam ordered firmly.

"Kensi, come on. Let's go check inside" Frost suggested, but his partner didn't even hear him, lost in her own world.

Kensi couldn't believe what she was seeing, her mind took her to six months ago, to another pool, to another body floating in the water "Deeks..." she murmured as her body was shaken by trembling.

"Kensi, hey, come on, you're scaring me now" Russel take her by her arm.

"I... he... no..." the female agent muttered almost incomprehensibly "This is not happening again, this is so wrong" her eyes observed her surrounding, mechanically, as she expected to find something around her, maybe someone. It was while doing this movement, that she caught sight of a little detail, of something that shouldn't be there "Bomb!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Two seconds later a violent explosion engulfed everything. The strength of the blast threw Kensi and Russel meters away and they landed hardly near the patio. She saw her partner just few inches away from her, unmoving with blood pouring from a gash on his forehead. Her head was pounding and her ears were ringing loudly "Russel" she whispered as she tried to push herself into a sitting position and move towards Frost, but everything started spinning around her and soon her whole world went black.

Sam was catapulted towards the back entrance of the house, hitting the concrete pretty hard. Pain exploded in his leg, before smoke and dust surrounded everything around him, breathing was almost impossible "G... Kensi... Russel..." he murmured as he coughed his lungs out, but no one answered him. He collected his strength, attempting to get up, but a new wave of pain hit him and soon, darkness engulfed him.

Callen felt the air been taken away from his lungs when his back landed on the trunk of one of the big tress of the garden. Stars danced in front of his eyes, almost blinding him. He wanted to move, but he simply couldn't, his body was completely unresponsive. He saw a shadow moving in the middle of the dusty cloud the explosion raised and he thought it could be a woman "Kensi, is that you?" but no one responded "Sam? Russel?" he called again. He tried to sit up, pushing with his hands on the ground, but his whole body protested, failing him, falling to the ground again, unable to move. A flash reached his eyes as his head screamed in pain, sending him to oblivion.

Silently a black figure moved around the explosion site, taking pictures of the four unconscious agents while in distance the echoes of the sirens resounded clearly as the firemen approached.

"This is so perfect, absolutely perfect" the flash of the camera flickered several times and when the sirens were getting closer, the black figure left the place with a satisfied grin brightening up the hidden face.

* * *

Michael Thompson was getting ready to go to sleep when he heard some movements outside the cell. Two guards were standing there, dragging a very unconscious Deeks between them.

"Thompson, on your feet" one of them ordered and when the inmate did what he had been asked to, he continued "Open cell 114"

The door opened with a metal sound and the two guards deposited with not a great care the limp body on the bed and then left.

Thompson observed his cell mate, shaking his head. Deeks was in a very awful state, they didn't even had the decency to change the uniform after all the time he had spent in isolation. The smell was awful and reached his nostrils. The cop's leg were touching the ground and his upper body was sprawled at an unnatural angle on the mattress.

"You really know how to piss off people, Deeks" he said, moving towards the cop, lifting his legs and putting them on the bed. From a closer view, the blond man looked even worse. His hair, long and sweaty, was sticking on his flushed face. An untrimmed beard adorned his hollow cheeks and his whole body was shaken by violent trembling.

Michael laid a hand on the other man's forehead, feeling the heat emanating from his skin "Right, you're burning up" he moved toward the sink and filled a glass with water, then he moved back towards Deeks, lifting his head "Come on, you better drink a bit of this" he put the glass on the cop's dry lips and finally he saw a reaction.

Deeks' eyes cracked open and stared puzzled at him "What...?" his voice was hoarse and weak.

"Shut up and drink, slowly" Thompson ordered firmly and when he saw the blond man trying to move his hand towards the glass, avidly, he stopped him "I said slowly, or you'll get sick"

After several sips later, the bald man guided the cop's head toward the pillow "You should get some rest"

Deeks closed his eyes, exhausted, but then he reopened them "Why? I... I thought... you wanted... me dead..." he managed to say, but his voice was nothing more than a whisper.

"Oh don't worry, I still want you dead and I still hate you, but I won't do anything to you until you'll be strong enough to fight back, it wouldn't be fun otherwise" he paused, seeing the confusion in the other man's glance "But, you know, I have to admit that you've got guts" Thompson told him, his lips curved into a smile "Well, it takes a lot of courage to do what you did and I have to say that Limpkin deserved that but it takes even more courage not to beg him to get you out of that place. I admired that"

A chuckle escaped from the cop's still too dry lips "Too bad... it cost me... two weeks in... isolation..."

"Two weeks? Are you kidding me? You spent more than a month in there!" Michael exclaimed with a hint of pride.

"A... month?" Deeks was confused, he had lost track of time in the isolation cell, lost in the darkness and consumed by the guilt; all of the sudden his stomach turned upside down and he started coughing.

"Hey, calm down, it's over now" Thompson moved to the blond man' side, lifting his head, even with a certain dose of gentleness.

"It will never... be over... until she'll kill them all..." Deeks muttered, closing his eyes, losing the battle against consciousness "She will... kill them... because of me..."

The bald man stared at the blond cop, puzzled, not understanding what he was talking about "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, but the other man had already succumbed to darkness, his body still shaking badly as the fever burnt him.

Thompson grabbed his blanket and covered his cell mate whose hands instinctively clutched the rough fabric as his life depended on it "Just sleep now, tomorrow it'll be another long day" he patted Deeks' curled hands and then went back to his bed, trying to get some sleep.

Too bad he couldn't sleep much, because Deeks woke up several times during the night as nightmares haunted him. His temperature had probably risen up again and he was sweating profusely. The stench emanating from his body was so intense that filled the entire cell, but for the first time Michael Thompson was not mad at the cop, but at the men who did this to him. What had been done to him was just an abuse, pure and simple; yes he hated Deeks, he wanted him dead, but not like this.

"Gah, I'm getting too soft, what the hell?" Michael told himself, getting up and filling another cup of water "Come on, Deeks, drink this" he helped the cop drinking, realizing for the first time how thinner the man was, how much weight he lost. Thompson heard that while he was in isolation they had given the cop a bit of water just every three, four days, but he didn't know about the food, he didn't know how often they fed him, but of course it hadn't been enough. Deeks looked very close to the end of his rope, physically, and according by the nightmares, mentally too "Bastards!" he almost yelled, helping the cop to sip the water again "Come on, drink another sip"

The blond man did what he had been asked, mostly unconsciously, filling his craving for the fresh liquid without even realizing and soon, he passed out again.

"Oh hell, this is going to be a long night! You know Deeks, I'll add this to the long list of the things why I hate you, but, let's call it a truce, for now..." Michael told the unconscious man, before moving back to his bed.

* * *

The morning after Deeks woke up abruptly when someone shook him, gently this time. He truly didn't know where he was, but his head was pounding and his body was still shaken by violent trembling.

"Time to get up, Deeks. I don't think they'll give you a discount just because you're sick" Thompson told him, helping him to sit up.

The cell spun and for a moment he felt really sick.

"Wow, you're not going to get sick on me, are you?" Michael said a bit horrified by the idea "You're stinking already too much for my taste"

"Delicate stomach?" the cop murmured, flashing a hint of a smile "Not getting sick... by the way. I just need to get up and... get some water"

"Oh well, you can stay where you are then. I'll get you the water"

"What's happening here?" Deeks looked at the other man a bit confused by his cell mate behavior.

"Well, I decided that the pleasure to kill you should be mine and mine only, so I, I can give you a help to get back on your feet so, when you'll be well enough, I'll be able to do what I swore to do" a cunning smirk curved Thompson's lips "Ending your existence"

The cop chuckled, coughing immediately "Fair... enough"

A guard approached their cell, throwing some clean clothes through the bars "Deeks, new uniform!"

"Thank God" the bald man said, moving to pick up the discarded uniform "I couldn't bear the stench anymore"

"Don't tell me" murmured Deeks, as he started removing the dirty uniform he was wearing. He barely managed to remove the shirt, but when he attempted to take off the white t-shirt, he winced in pain as he tried to lift his arms in the air "Damn it!" he cursed.

"Come on, let me help you" Thompson offered, but the cop wriggled away from his touch.

"NO!" he screamed, sounding terrified "I.. I can manage it" he replied stubbornly.

"Oh yes, I can see that" the bald man watched the blinded determination in the other man's expression, feeling a sense of admiration for him. The cop was barely able to move, shivering like a leaf, he was not even able to stand, but he wanted to do things on his own. He still had some dignity and pride, in spite of everything he had been put through "Ah hell, you idiot! Here..." he helped Deeks as much as the man allowed him. When the t-shirt was gone and the cop was bare chested, Thompson could see the damage the man had sustained. His whole upper body was covered by bruises, a couple of ribs were clearly broken or if he was lucky, busted. But what shocked him the most, was how thin the blond man was, it was a very unpleasant view.

"Am I so awful?" Deeks told Thompson as he saw his cell mate staring at him with an horrified expression planted on his hard face.

"Well, you don't look that good" admitted Michael "And you should clean yourself up, before putting on those clean clothes. Come on, let me help you to stand so you can refresh yourself"

The cop didn't know how to react to this, he was finding hard to understand Thompson's change of attitude towards him, but right now, he was not in condition to argue with the man. "I'm not a baby"

"Oh I know, right now, you're worse than a baby" the big man put him to his feet and once again he felt lightheaded, but Thompson's strong hands kept him steady "Told you, you needed help"

"Thanks" Deeks managed to say.

"Oh well, another thing to add to the final bill"

"Yeah, of course" the blond man smiled, shaking a little his head.

Half an hour later, after a painful path towards the mess hall, Deeks was in line, waiting to get his breakfast. His stomach was so close after so long without proper food, but he knew that he had to try to get something to eat if he wanted to get his strength back. When it was his turn, he realized that holding the tray was going to be a very hard task since his hands and his whole body were still shaking violently.

The bowl with the milk was laid on the tray and so was the bread, but he barely managed to get to a table. When he sat down, the milk was spilled all over the tray and only few sips had been saved in the bowl.

Deeks felt scrutinizing eyes on him "Right what I need" he told himself "Someone else who would like to hurt me until I can't defend myself. Just perfect"

He tried to take the bowl to his lips, but his hands were trembling so badly, that even that simple gesture seemed almost impossible to achieve. So he moved his attention to the bread, but once again, his hands failed him and the bread fell to the ground. Painfully he was bending to pick it up, when someone preceded him. He lifted his head enough, to see Troy, one of Thompson's buddies, grabbing the small loaf "Hey, I truly like to have it back" he tried to use his steadiest voice, failing miserably.

But something happened, something he didn't expect at all. Troy picked up the bread, blew on it to take away the dust and laid it near Deeks' hand before walking away. The cop looked at him in surprise; he was still processing what had just happened, when another inmate moved towards him and poured a bit of his milk into Deeks' bowl.

Another one did exactly the same and another after him until his own bowl was full again.

He was still shocked because of the weird behavior, when another inmate left half of his loaf on the cop's tray, followed by others that did the same.

Deeks' eyes were filled with tears, he didn't want to cry, but he was deeply touched "Thanks" he whispered, nodding thankfully.

"You should try to use the spoon to drink the milk if you can't hold the bowl" Thompson told him, passing by him and sitting in front of him "It seems that your little stunt with Limpkin got you some admirers"

"So it seems" the cop was finding hard to talk, overwhelmed by what had just happened and by the emotions he was feeling. This was the first moment in which someone, besides Eddy, had showed him a bit of humanity since the moment he set foot at Mojave and well, it felt good.

During the day, the surprises didn't end for him, because the inmates took turns to do the chores he had been mercilessly assigned to do. He was sure that he wouldn't have made it through the day if they hadn't helped him. When he went to bed that night, after what it seemed a lifetime, he was finally able to rest.

* * *

In the meantime, in Warden Limpkin's office, Steven Abbott was showing his disappointment "I don't get it! Why did you take him out of isolation? You should have left him rot in there for the rest of his life!"

"Are you blind, Steven? I can't simply let him die like that. What will it happen if he is going to die in that cell? Public opinion will start a campaign against this prison and we might lose our job!" the Warden explained, licking his lips nervously "If he will die because someone will kill him, in a fight or because of an argument, no one will have anything to say"

"Yeah, but you haven't seen what happened today! The inmates took his defense! They even did his chores, they thought I didn't notice that, but I saw everything!" Abbott protested, slamming his hands on the desk.

Limpkin didn't respond, he simply opened Deeks' folder while enjoying his cigar "Well, in this case we have to go with Plan B"

"Plan B?" the chief of the guards wondered curiously, but his attention was caught by a folder the Warden showed him "Uhm, I have to say that I can see why you're the Warden of this place. I like this idea, I like it a lot"

Limpkin smiled evilly, a triumphant glare brightened up his eyes "And you know, we can always pay a visit to our dear Mr. Deeks once in a while, just to remind him who's in charge and if he will misbehave, there's always an isolation cell with his name on the door waiting for him"

"Oh I like this bit even better" Abbott laughed out loud "You will never get rid of me Deeks, never!" he muttered taking a long sip of his strong drink "I told you, you're mine!"

* * *

"I told you that there's no other explanation!" Kensi almost yelled in Ops while talking to Callen and Sam.

"Kensi, how can you be so sure? It's impossible" Callen tried to calm her, but his mind was processing what his teammate was saying.

"Kensi, G's right, if she was here, we would have found out by now" Sam intervened, moving closer to Kensi and putting a hand on her arm.

She wriggled away from his touch, protesting, voicing her disagreement "Sam, I know what I saw! Damn it! I saw the body, the way it was floating, even the shirt was almost the same! And you said it yourself that a woman might be responsible for all of this"

"Kensi, it might be a coincidence, maybe you're just a bit too emotional right now" Nell told her, studying her tired features.

"Ok, I'm lost, would you mind explaining what the hell is going on here?" Russel wondered puzzled. He was completely in the dark about what his teammates were discussing so animatedly. It had started since the moment they all had walked into the control room, but no one had given him an explanation.

"I'm not emotional!" the female agent said, her voice firm and steady "I know what I saw, it's her!"

"And who are you talking about, Miss Blye?" Hetty stepped into the room, attracted by the loud voices she could hear from the corridor. She was not surprised at all to see all of her agents back to work after just a couple of days. They had been lucky at Asahmi's house. They could have died or suffered worse consequences, but once again someone was probably looking after them from some higher place and they came out of the explosion almost unscathed. Callen had a couple of busted ribs and contusions all over his body, but nothing too serious. Sam's leg had been literally pierced with a flying piece of wood, that fortunately only hit the muscle and not any arteries or important blood vessels. Russel had suffered a bad concussion and he probably still had a hell of a headache right now. Kensi suffered for minor burns and a little lack of equilibrium because the blast affected her ears, but she was on the mend and so were the others.

Even Eric was back to work, moving with crutches, working one handed, but he wanted to be there, with the team.

"It's her, Hetty, it must be. I don't believe in coincidences and I had this weird feeling since we arrived at Asahmi's residence, a sense of dejà-vu and then when we got to the pool, it was the same, the same scene we found at Carlsson's house, exactly the same" Kensi explained to the Operations Manager as a knot clenched her stomach remembering what she felt the other day, right before the explosion. It was like been brought back to six months ago, when the body floating in the water was Deeks'.

"Maybe you're just swayed by the similarities" the ex-Seal tried to make her reason, but it was impossible. When his friend had something in mind, it was hard to change her mind.

"If you allow me to say something, I think that maybe Kensi might be right" Eric finally turned to face his friends, his eyes moved away from his computer. He saw six confused expressions staring at him curiously.

"What do you mean Mr. Beale?" Hetty asked him, narrowing her eyes.

"Well, you know that when I was trying to track down that company that deposited money on Deeks' bank account, I always said that there was something that I couldn't put a finger on, something that didn't sound right to me" the tech noticed that silence had fallen to the room and everyone was looking at him, silently pushing him to go on talking "Well, when Kensi told us about her theory, something clicked in my head and I got it"

"Eric, you got what exactly?" Callen was losing his patience, his ribs hurt at every movement, he ached everywhere, there was no more space for patience in his book.

"I understood why I couldn't find a way to track the payments, because they have been covered very well and now I know why they were so well protected" Eric's excitement was contagious, even if no one was truly following where he was going.

"Oh hell Eric! Tell us! In a language we all can understand" Sam shook his head, frustrated.

"Whoever covered the tracks, used one of the system that had been stolen by Vucinic and sold, system that even the Carlsson brothers used for their company" everyone held the breathe at the tech's words "And since everyone involved with that story is dead, well there must be only one person who could know how to use it"

"Vika" Kensi murmured the name, feeling a pang in her stomach.

"Mr. Beale, are you saying that Miss Gordenkova might be responsible for setting up Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked, fisting her hands in her pockets, nervously, careful not to show her true sentiments though.

"Well, I, I can't prove it yet, but in my opinion, yes, she might be" the tech admitted.

"So we can prove that Deeks is innocent and get him out of jail!" the female agent couldn't contain her excitement.

"Kensi, it's a bit too early. For how much I would like to see Deeks out of that place, even if Eric will find a way to prove that the whole story about him being on the take was a set up, we still have to prove that he didn't kill Abbott" Sam didn't like being the one telling her this, crashing her expectations, her hopes.

"But if she set him up with the payments, she could have killed Abbott just to frame Deeks!" Kensi insisted. She couldn't believe that after so much time, they could have something concrete to help her partner "And I'm sure she killed Asahmi, that was a message to us. She even put a Deeks-like shirt on Asahmi's body! It must be a message"

The ex-Seal turned to face his partner as he wanted some help with Kensi. He didn't want her to delude herself only to be disappointed in the end. He noticed Callen's furrowed brows, his expression concentrated as he was thinking intently about something "What's bothering you, G? What's up?"

"There was someone near the pool, someone was taking pictures. I didn't remember it until now. I'm pretty sure it was a woman, at first I thought it was Kensi. I have some confused memories about that moment, but I know someone was using a flash to take pictures because of all that smoke" the team leader muttered.

"Are you sure?" his partner tilted his head, trying to think about those moments before passing out after the explosion.

"Ok, this is getting creepy!" Frost protested once again. He looked like a fish out of the pond, unable to understand a single word the rest of the team was saying "Don't you think I deserve an explanation now?"

Nell was the one who smiled at him and started talking "Six months ago while working on a case of a dead marine, we met with an old friend of Kensi, Vika Gordenkova. To make the story short, we found out that Vika was an international killer who was behind the death of the marine which was much more complicated than just that. Anyway, Vika was known as Poison Mary, she liked to kill men with poison and then she threw their bodies in pools, lake or even the ocean" the analyst stopped when she had to tell Russel about how they found out Vika was Poison Mary "One day Deeks was alone with her when he made the connection. Vika poisoned him and then…" her voice had an hesitation.

"She threw him into the pool" Kensi finished for her "Almost killing him"

"It was a very close call" added Sam "Kensi was the one who found him"

"So, this is why you zoned the other day at the pool, it reminded you of that day" Russel stated gravely "I'm, I'm sorry, I didn't know"

"It's ok, it's an old story" Kensi told him, nodding.

"But why do you think she could have hatched out a plan like this?" Frost insisted, trying to understand.

"Because she's crazy; she escaped, but we revealed her secret to the world. Her career was in jeopardy because of that" the female agent said seriously, her expression hard as a stone.

"But why targeting Deeks?"

"Maybe she wanted to hurt me, maybe she wanted to hurt Deeks because... because he resisted her charm. I really don't know, but as I said, she's crazy and mostly she's evil. She's able to kill without thinking twice, without remorse. She killed everyone around her just because she didn't want witnesses, even her husband!" Kensi's mind was wandering. Everything started making sense. If Vika was behind all of this, they had to be careful and mostly they had to move quickly, before it could be too late.

"Mr. Beale, I want you to start working on those payments, on that system. You have to find a way to link them to Miss Gordenkova" Hetty ordered firmly, glad that they finally had a lead. It might be not enough to get Mr. Deeks out of jail now, but it was more than they had in the last six months "Miss Jones, check every camera feed from airports, ports, train stations, bus stations, if she came back in the US, she'd come from somewhere. And you..." she indicated her four field agents "You can help her and in the meantime look through everything we had about Miss Gordenkova. See if she might have a connection with the man who killed all those dogs too. In the meantime I have some calls to make"

"Hetty, we'll get him out, won't we?" Kensi asked her, a pleading note in her voice.

"We'll do everything we can Miss Blye. For now, I have to call Mr. Marelli first, since he has an appeal to prepare and this new information must be very helpful to our cause, then... then I have other phone calls to make" and with that Hetty walked out of the room.

Everyone stood still, in silence, until finally Callen's voice shook them all "You heard her. We have a lot of work to do. So, let's move!"

They had something, after months of dead ends, they finally had something. It was not much, but for now, it was everything they had and they couldn't waste it. For Deeks' sake.

* * *

It had been a week since Deeks had come back to a "normal life" in prison, but he was still feeling very weak and his body showed the clear signs of his weariness. He couldn't stand for too long without risking to fall down, his appetite was not the one it was before and eating properly was impossible with an almost closed stomach. The fever had loosened a bit its vice, at least it was not dangerously high as it was few days ago. In spite of all of this, once in a while, his body was still shaken by trembling that chilled him to the bones. He was still pale like a ghost and the long hair and beard didn't help his general appearance, he still looked sick, very sick.

For this reason he spent every moment he could outside, sitting at his usual spot, hoping that the sun could warm him up a little and take away his pallor.

And he was there when he noticed the transport van riding through the gate of the Mojave. It seems that some new inmates were coming. His mind was taken back at the day he arrived here. He couldn't believe that more than six months had already passed, more than six months he hadn't seen Kensi or anyone of his friends. His heart clenched at the thought. Eric was gone and no one even allowed him to say goodbye. Maybe the others had moved on with their lives, forgetting about him. He felt the tears forming in his eyes, man he hated being so weak, so emotional, these were sentiments that couldn't lead him anyway, sentiments that could get him killed in a place like the Mojave Correction Center. He tried to collect himself, but it was very difficult, not after the previous month, not after everything Vika was doing to him. Her dirty plan was really working now. She was breaking him, he could feel it, even if somewhere, deep inside of himself, he knew he had a still of strength, a drop of energy to fight her, not to give her the satisfaction to see him so broken, so devastated.

To distract himself, he cast a glance at the transport van, at the men getting out of it. Five men had been allowed to get out, at first he thought that his eyes were fooling him but no... it couldn't be true.

Using the wall as a support, Deeks stood up, his blue eyes locked on one of the men that had just arrived, a man he remembered very well, too well maybe, a man who took him back to some bad memories and moments, a man everyone didn't want to cross, for the fear he instilled into people, a man who probably wanted one thing over everything, killing Detective Marty Deeks. A man named Ignacio Murillo.

He held on the fence, tightly as he watched the man being lead towards the infirmary for the usual checkup. His shivering increased as a sense of dread pervaded him. The fear became pure rage when he noticed in distance Warden Limpkin staring at him, with a triumphant expression planted on his face, a big grin curving his lips. Limpkin nodded, titling his head on his side, teasingly, before he threw the remaining of his cigar to the ground and then went back to the building where his office was.

A hand on his shoulder startled Deeks, taking him back to reality after his mind had wandered for a while, as he had tried to process the implications of Murillo's presence in this prison.

"Hey, you look off. Another friend of yours?" Michael Thompson asked him, smiling cunningly.

"Oh you can bet Thompson" the cop told him, turning to face his cell mate "I think you have a great rival now, because if you hate me, well that man hates me one hundred times more" without waiting for a reply, Deeks walked away leaving a very speechless Thompson observing him with curiosity.

Deeks reached his cell feeling like his legs couldn't support him anymore, he didn't know if he was able to take something else, something more than life had thrown at him until now. First he had been deprived of everyone he cared about, then his cell mate tried to kill him, not once but twice, the Chief of the Guards was a sick bastard who couldn't stop tormenting him, the Warden of the prison a vicious snake who hated him because he had disrespected and beat him, there was an evil bitch who only wanted to destroy him, bit by bit and now, now this? No, this was too much.

He sat on the bed, leaning his back against the wall, thinking, when Thompson joined him "It's not the right moment, ok? Not in the mood!" he said without even looking at the other man.

"What did you mean back there? Who the hell is that man?" the bald man wondered, mostly intrigued.

"Someone you better not bother" the cop cut Michael short.

Thompson was replying when Abbott, two guards and the Warden showed up at the entrance of the cell.

"On your feet, you two!" the Chief of the guards ordered bossily "House search!" he beckoned at the bald man to live the cell.

Thompson cast a glance of Deeks, seeing that he was barely standing, and shook his head. Passing by Abbott he whispered "Give him a break, it's not even fun picking on him right now"

"Not your business. I'm not a softie like you are" the Chief remarked coldly, stepping inside and stopping right in front of the inmate. He moved a hand so the guards started searching the cop's mere possession and bed "You've been very quiet lately, murderer" he played with his truncheon, slamming him on his palm, impatiently.

"All clear, besides these" one of the guards gave few handwritten sheets to the Warden.

"Hey, they are just words" Deeks protested, trying to move, but Abbot punched him in the gut, taking his breath away.

"You know you can speak only when we allow you!"

"I bet that you'd punch me even if I did everything on your terms, because you're enjoying it too much" panted the cop, holding his midsection.

"_Dear Kensi... I miss you... blablabla..._ these are just pathetic" Limpkin intervened stepping into the cell, the smell of garlic and smoke filled the air. It was nauseating "I wonder who allowed you to write these. I don't think you're shrink would approve"

"Like I care" another blow was delivered to his stomach and this time his leg buckled and he had to kneel.

"You will never learn to show some respect, won't you? Maybe the time you spent in isolation wasn't enough, maybe you would like to pay the place another visit" the Warden spoke with his hissing voice that gave Deeks chills.

The cop wanted to reply, to yell at the older man to go to hell, but the idea of spending some few more time in the dark cell was nothing he was looking for. So he remained silent.

Abbott lifted his head with his truncheon "I was expecting something more from you, Deeks. No witty remark this time? Maybe you are finally starting to get something in this thick head of yours"

"I simply like my current accommodation a little bit more" Deeks smirked cunningly, but the smile died on his lips when another blow reached his already abused midsection.

"Enough for now, Chief Abbott. Our dear Mr. Deeks has an unscheduled meeting with his therapist" Limpkin said, with pleasure. He was aware of how these appointments affected the blond man.

"No!" Deeks couldn't stop himself this time, his face whitened even more, afraid of what this appointment could mean. Please, please not another one, please let them be ok, he thought as he felt his stomach turning upside down.

"What, Deeks? Don't you like her? She's such a hottie with those long legs, those green eyes, those lips. I bet she's good" Abbott provoked the other man, knowing that he was hitting a raw nerve.

"Son of a bitch! Don't..." before he could go on, the cop was reached by another blow, even stronger that the previous one. The two guards moved towards him and put him roughly to his feet.

"Take him to the interrogation room, I'm sick of his sight" Limpkin said with disgust as the guards guided the inmate outside "And Deeks, you just won another week in isolation"


	15. Chapter 15

Third part

* * *

No Way Out – Chapter 15

Once again he found himself tightly handcuffed to the chair waiting for Vika to show up, but this time he was scared to death. His heart was beating madly at the idea that she could come inside, with her victorious smile planted on her lipsticked lips, telling him which one of his friends was dead or injured. A tight knot clenched his stomach. He still had to get over the fact that Eric was dead, now... "Calm down! Don't give her the satisfaction, calm down!" he murmured to himself, but it was easier said than done "Idiot! This is what she wants! Don't give her that. Don't!"

The door opened and she stepped inside "Are you talking to yourself, Marty? I think you're definitely going crazy" she laid her briefcase on the table while laughing out loud.

"I think being stuck in a room with you doesn't help my cause" he remarked dryly, swallowing hard not to show his agitation.

She moved towards him, studying him intently "You really look like shit, Marty dear. You should take care of yourself" she passed her hand through his hair, doing it very roughly "I wonder what Kensi would say if she had to see you like this, the long hair, the long beard, your muscles are almost gone. Really you're nothing like that man I met one year ago. Ooppss... is it already that long ago? I almost forgot that you've been in this place for more than six months"

Deeks tried to wriggle from her avid touch, but she forced him to look straight at her

"I always loved your eyes Marty, they can be so easy to read for me and you're scared now" she laughed and man, it was such an evil laugh "And you hate me"

"Oh that's for sure" he told her, grinding his teeth.

Vika tilted his head back, straining his neck as she sat in his lap "I have to give you this though, you're still such a handsome piece of man" she kissed him, voraciously.

The blond man struggled to get rid of her, but he couldn't do much to resist her and when finally she broke apart, she spat on her.

"Now I know what she felt kissing your lips" with a rapid and unexpected move, she grabbed his throat with her hands, clenching her fingers, increasing the pressure, slowly but continuously "Don't you dare doing that again!" she looked at him with crazy eyes.

Deeks needed to breathe, to get some air in his lungs, but she didn't let him go, putting even more pressure in her gesture. Her long fingers were like a tight vice that was suffocating him. Stars danced in front of him as consciousness was slowly leaving him, painfully. His lungs were burning craving for some oxygen that could get to them. When he thought that he couldn't resist anymore, Vika loosened the grip on his throat and he started coughing uncontrollably. It took him several minutes and several coughs before he was able to breathe normally "You should have killed me" he panted heavily, breathing still hurt his abused throat.

"Uh, are you that mad?" once again her evil laugh resounded in the room "And why should I have to kill you, missing all the fun? You will beg me to do it when I'll have destroyed everything and everyone around you" she moved towards her briefcase and rummaged through it. She picked up a folder, opening it on the table right in front of him and positioned some photos on the table.

Instinctively, Deeks closed his eyes. He didn't want to see and if it was possible, he'd close his ears as well, not wanting to hear her voice. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, almost exploding in trepidation; he knew that he didn't want to see those pictures, he simply didn't. No... no... no...

"Open your eyes Marty" she told him with her fake gentle voice he hated so much "Come on, look at these pictures"

He keep his eyes closed, even tighter, shaking his head "No!" he said with a low voice, so different from his.

"Marty, I said open your eyes!" her tone was changing as anger was growing inside of her. Vika moved behind him and with an unexpected move, she strongly pushed his face towards the table, putting a lot of pressure to the back of his head while her hand clenched his hair, painfully "I won't repeat it another time, open your eyes and look!"

"And I said no" he replied firmly, struggling to get rid of her, but his weakness and the fact that with her gesture she was straining his constricted arms and shoulders stopped him.

She gave his head a stronger push and his face slammed against the table, his cheek was right on a photograph that stuck on his sweaty skin "Well, let's just say that if you won't open your eyes, you'll miss the opportunity to see your friend for the last time. Because they're dead Marty, they are all dead. Callen, Sam... and Kensi"

Deeks felt a pang in his heart when he heard her words and the bile rose through his throat, but he forced himself not to throw up in front of her. He didn't want to open his eyes, though, he didn't want to give her the satisfaction to break him, but what if it was true, what if this was his last opportunity to see them. No, it was impossible, they couldn't be dead. They couldn't have been caught by surprise. No, they couldn't be dead. No... not Sam, not Callen, not Kensi... Flashes of the past danced in front of him, happy moments he had spent with them, the jokes... tears formed in his eyes when Kensi's smiling face was looking at him, as her eyes were locked on his "No, they are not dead, they're too good to be killed by a looser bitch like you" he managed to say, fighting the nausea.

Vika's answer was a long laugh that chilled Deeks' bones "You wish but sadly for you, Marty dear, they are all dead. They've been so stupid to get distracted during an operation, you should have seen how Kensi was shocked when he saw that man floating in a pool wearing a shirt exactly like the one you wore that day. She was petrified"

"You are just..." he tried to speak but she pushed his face towards the desk with renewed strength and he almost couldn't breathe because of that gesture.

"I am just the woman who destroyed your life Marty. Now you have nothing... NOTHING!" she yelled angrily "They were so distracted that they didn't see the bomb... Boom! Do you think her last thought was for you? Do you really think she was calling your name?"

Deeks couldn't hold the tears anymore and he was feeling sick, barely holding himself. Every word Vika was saying was like a knife sinking in his heart "You're lying"

"She called her new partner's name, Marty, she called Russel. She didn't even think about you. I was there Marty, I saw that. The woman you love forgot about you. They all forgot about you!" she laughed evilly, releasing a little bit the hold on his hair.

"You're lying... they are not dead" he was trying to convince himself, because he didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to think that they were all gone, that Kensi was gone.

"So open your eyes and look!" she lifted his head a second just to slam it violently against the table.

Deeks cried out in pain as his cheek hit the wooden surface and before he could realize it, he felt his head been yanked back.

"Come on, I know you're dying to see these pictures, I know you're dying to prove that I'm wrong" her hand caressed his face moving dangerously close to his eyes as she wanted to open them up forcefully.

"No, I won't do that" Deeks was fighting an inner battle. Vika was right, he wanted to see those photos, he wanted to prove she was just playing with him, but what if she was not joking, what if his friends were really dead? He couldn't bear to look at their broken bodies. He couldn't bear the sight of Kensi's dead figure. And if Vika was true, if this was his last opportunity to see them... Still struggling and with tears rolling down his cheeks, he opened his eyes. What he saw turned his stomach upside down, his head became lighter and everything around him was spinning dizzily. A second later he was throwing up, unable to stop. "This is not true... not true... not true..." he repeated over and over, but the image of Kensi's motionless and bloodied body haunted him.

"Ahahah look at you Marty dear. You're broken!" she laughed out loud, enjoying every single second, every single bit of the scene happening in front of her eyes "I am the winner Marty. I destroyed you, crushed you... you have nothing left besides pain and guilt" she observed the behavior of the man in front of her, his suffering, his devastated expression, his tears, grinning satisfied "You know, if you beg me, maybe I could even put you out of your misery one day, but for now, I'm just enjoying so much seeing you so broken. My victory is complete, Marty. I won and you lost!"

Deeks couldn't hear a word she was saying, his mind was completely lost in a consuming agony, the pain was gripping his heart, clenching it in a tight vice, that took his breath away. Then all of the sudden he felt nothing as numbness engulfed him.

He didn't feel the guards walking into the room, he didn't feel them dragging him to the isolation room, he didn't feel the metal door closing behind them as they left him in the dark cell. All he could feel was a sense of void that was overwhelming him, consuming him. Everything was lost. There was nothing more to fight for. In the oppressive darkness of the isolation cell, Marty Deeks prayed that all of this could end. For the first time in his life, he wished he could die. They had taken away everything from him, there was no sense in fighting again, there was no sense in being consumed by the pain, his life had no sense without her. Kensi was dead and he only wanted to join her.

* * *

Kensi was sitting outside the Mission, alone, her mind lost in her thoughts. Millions of them. Vika was back and she was the one responsible for all of this mess, but mostly she was the one responsible for Deeks being in jail, away from her, from everything he cared about, from everyone he loved and loved him back. Her anger grew exponentially at the idea as much as her guilt. She brought Vika in their lives, but she was not the one paying the consequences of this. Deeks was and the guilt was simply consuming her.

The woman who once was her best friend had just ruined the life of the most important person in her whole world and as a consequence, she had destroyed her life too.

Her determination to find a way to get Deeks back had even increased now, no matter what was going to happen, how long it will take, even if it will be the last thing she'll do, she'll find Vika and she'll make her pay for what she did, for all the suffering she caused. This time Vika won't have any way out, she will rot in prison for the rest of her miserable life.

"Miss Blye, we were getting worried about you" Hetty told her, joining her and taking her away from her thoughts. The older woman pretended not to notice her agent's teary eyes. She was aware how difficult this moment was for her and she didn't want to add fuel on the fire.

"Hetty, hey. I, I just needed a little breath of fresh air" Kensi wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye, nonchalantly. She didn't want to show her weakness to her boss.

"Oh you didn't have to pretend my dear. I know how you're feeling, I know you're frustrated, disappointed, sad, worried, but at the same time furious... and guilty" the Operations Manager gave her a little understanding smile, offering a hand to help her agent to get up "But all of these emotions don't have to cloud your judgment, you have to use all of them to be even more focused on your job. They don't have to stop you from thinking and reasoning, they have to help you to be more concentrated on your goal, which is finding Miss Gordenkova and let her confess what she did"

"I wish it could be that simple Hetty. Sometimes when I go home I close my eyes hoping that when I'll re-open them, things are back to normal and that he is here, with me. I can't stop thinking about him, Hetty. When I lay in bed, I... I almost could feel his presence beside me and I wonder if it's the same for him, if he is thinking about me, but then I realize that he's not on vacation, that maybe thinking about me is the last of his thoughts" Kensi bowed her head, staring at her hands, moving nervously "I can't get away from my mind that day when I... last time I saw him, when I went to visit him. He was hurting Hetty, what if... what if they hurt him again, what if he's suffering. And now that I know that she is behind all of this, I can only feel guilty, because Deeks is... he's in this messy situation because of me. I almost lost him once because of Vika, I will never forgive myself if... if he..." she couldn't go on talking, her throat knotted as much as her stomach.

"Miss Blye you should not drown yourself in guilt. I can imagine it's not easy, but Mr. Deeks needs you focused and active. He wouldn't like to see the sorrow consuming you, if I remember correctly this is why he asked you not to wait for him if things didn't go as we all expected. In this very moment, he might be suffering, as you said, but I am sure his heart would break if he knew you were letting the guilt and the sorrow killing you, day by day" Hetty told her, leaning a hand on hers, in a comforting gesture "I'm sure that Mr. Deeks would prefer the badass version of yourself rather than this one" the older woman said the last words, smiling gently, happy to see a chuckle curving her agent's lips.

"Yeah, I bet he would" Kensi admitted as a warm feeling melted her heart. She could imagine Deeks saying the same words Hetty had just told her "Hetty, do you think there's still hope?"

"There is always hope, Miss Blye. Until there's a little still of life, there's still hope. So don't despair" the Operations Manager truly wished that her words could convince her agent "...and don't forget that you have the best team supporting you in this. Every one of them wants Mr. Deeks back as much as you do"

"I know Hetty, but it's just hard" Kensi hesitated a moment, she was afraid of opening up completely "I never felt connected with anyone as I am with him and I never needed anyone like I need him. I don't know what happened to make me so emotional, so out of control... but Deeks is simply the most important person to me, I've never felt for anyone what I feel for him. I know he's so damn annoying, but I'd pay to hear his annoying voice right now, cracking one of his stupid jokes" she paused, lifting her glance to the sky "Heck, what's happening here?" she asked, feeling the tears forming in her eyes.

"You're in love, Kensi and this is the most complicated, but amazing thing that could ever happen to all of us. You should be glad you found it, Miss Blye, because the real and true love never comes so easily"

"I... I just hope that I haven't already lost it though" the female agent's voice was nothing more than a whisper. She was walking away, when Nell reached them outside.

"We found something!" the petite analyst affirmed triumphantly. A big smile brightened up her whole expression.

Kensi and Hetty followed her inside the Mission and then in Ops where Sam, Callen, Russel and Eric were waiting for them.

"So, what did you find?" Kensi wondered almost unable to contain her excitement. From Nell's expression she had realized that this time they might have something concrete.

"Well, I worked on that payments to Deeks' account and I found that some of them had been, let's say, generated just few months before this all mess exploded" Eric told everyone as he worked on his computer and some files showed up on the big screen "Once I realized what kind of system that has been used, I found a way to crack it and here it is..."

"So according to what you're telling us, not all of this payments come from Murillo and his organization" Sam stated gravely, his brows furrowed.

"Indeed. You can see the oldest ones? The ones that lead everyone to think about that Deeks was on the take?" Nell continued, smiling in excitement.

"The ones he received before the whole Murillo operation started?" Callen wondered tilting his head so he could have a better view of the documents.

"Yes, those ones are fake, created in the same way the last ones had been created. And there's more. I think I found a trace of the company from where these payments came from. It's based in Ukraine and according to the information I was able to find, it's an old company that in the past was linked to Vucinic's organization" the tech added triumphantly.

"Mr. Beale, do you think that with the evidence you collected we can prove, in front of the law, that Mr. Deeks was not receiving money from any underground organization?" Hetty asked firmly, realizing the importance of what they found.

"Yes, absolutely" Eric affirmed, nodding.

Kensi's heart almost exploded, this was the first time they truly found something useful to Deeks' cause. After all this time... She sighed heavily, closing her eyes "Is there any way to link these payments to Vika?"

"Well, no sadly, but maybe we have something on this front too" Nell told her, working on her pad and another blurry image appeared on screen.

"What are we looking at, Miss Jones?" the Operations Manager narrowed her eyes, focusing on a tall figure in the corner of the picture.

"We're looking at Mrs. Jillian Scott who arrived from Buenos Aires two months before detective Abbott's homicide" the analyst explained, zooming in the picture so the image of the woman was from a closer angle. She was tall, blonde, wearing black pants, a long black leather jacket and a hat. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses. She seemed to have the use of one arm only, while the other was limp along her body "Looks familiar?" Nell worked on her pad and a face recognition software started working. A minute later they had a winner. The passport photograph of Vika Gordenkova showed up on screen.

"So this is the infamous Vika Gordenkova you all talk about" Russel spoke for the first time.

"It's her!" Kensi shouted as she wanted to go into the screen and incinerate Vika's image "That little snake dyed her hair"

"Mr. Beale, do you know where she went after she walked out of the airport?" Hetty couldn't hide a hint of trepidation that she tried to keep under control.

"We know that she got into a cab, then we lost track of her. I'm sorry guys" sighed Eric, sad that he couldn't be more helpful.

"It's ok Eric, this is much more than we had in the last six months" Sam reassured the tech, patting him on his shoulder "Good work".

"So, what are you waiting for?" the Operations Manager exhorted them "Go talk to the cab's company and see if you found anything. Mr. Beale, you check the same company as well, maybe computers can remember better than people. Miss Jones, search that Ukrainian company. I need to know everything!"

"On it" all of the agents and the techs said in unison.

Kensi cast another glance at the screen before rushing out of Ops. She wanted to impress Vika's face in her mind so she would be able to recognize her everywhere, even if she was dressing up, posing as someone else "You're mine Vika. I will find you!" and with that she ran out of the room.

Hetty observed her agents jumping into action with renewed enthusiasm and sighed deeply "Please hold on Mr. Deeks, we're getting to you"

* * *

The guards took Deeks out of the isolation room two weeks later; yes two weeks, because Chief Abbott decided to gift him with an additional week, just because he wanted and he could. But the man they got out that day was completely different, not only in terms of physical aspect, but mostly in terms of mental state. The first days had been a long endless nightmare for Deeks, as images of his friends slid in front of him as a painful reminder of what had been taken away from him. The guilt and the mental struggle consumed his body and his mind, taking him to places he never imagined to go, pushing him closer to madness, to lost himself completely. He had cried, screamed, begged, yelled desperately, prayed that all of this could end soon, that his torment could finally stop. He even asked someone to kill him, because of the pain that was eating him from the inside. Then something happened; probably as a protective mechanism, his mind started showing flashes of the person responsible for all of this, of the woman who had destroyed her life, Vika... laughing at him, playing with him, enjoying all of his moments of discomfort, enjoying his agony. And something clicked in his brain. All of the sudden what left of his humanity was gone, taken away painfully, bit by bit, piece by piece, day after day. He couldn't feel anything, not an emotion, not a feeling, just a big sense of revenge and revenge was what kept him alive in those two weeks in which they gave him only a few sips of water and some pieces of stale bread, two weeks in which he almost reached the breaking point.

His body was broken, shaken by feverish trembling, but his eyes were cold as ice, deprived of everything he had in the past, of everything that made him the man he was, he was only able to hate and seek for revenge. Nothing else was left of him. Nothing.

Two days later, Deeks was trying to refresh himself in the restroom, when he was approached by two men he recognized as two of Murillo's goons. He prepared himself for a fight he was going to lose considering the precarious state he was, but the men didn't attack him at all.

"Mr. Murillo wants to see you. Now!" the tone didn't admit any reply.

The cop was guided by the two bigger men to Murillo's cell and was pushed inside of it pretty roughly. His unsteady legs almost failed him, but he managed to stay on his feet.

"Well, isn't this a nice sight?!" a husky voice greeted him as a man got up from the bed. Ignacio Murillo was a small man, with short black hair and even blacker eyes that only wanted respect from the people standing in front of him. He was a hard man, with a hard face, a scar ran along his chin and his hands were rough and clearly used to hard work "Detective Deeks, weird place to meet you again, don't you think?"

"Until you're behind these bars, I can't complain too much" Deeks remarked dryly, trying not to show the other man his weariness. His legs was shaking and they were barely holding his weight, but he needed to appear sure of himself, determined.

"Oh well, since you're here with me, I should not complain as well, but the fact is, Marty..." Murillo paused walking closer to the blond man "...that you ruined everything I had, you put me behind these bars. You took away from me everything I had"

"Oh well, every one of us has someone who likes to do that" Deeks smiled gingerly, passing his tongue over his lips "As you can see, you're not the only one with anything left"

"You know, I have always liked your quick tongue, Marty, hell I actually liked you, until I found out you were a cop. I was happy the first time when you convinced me you were one of us and not one of those pigs, but then you had to ruin everything, you had to play the part of the hero" the smaller man was walking in circle around the cop, speaking with a low voice that could chill everyone's bones "I should have killed you that day, Marty" he said with pure hatred.

"And you're here to end the job, aren't you?" Deeks asked, knowing already the answer "Because sincerely I have other plans. I have a certain business to take care of before meeting my maker"

This time Murillo laughed, amused by the other man's humor. It was not easy that he could find someone who was not scared to death by his presence and he admired that. He admired bravery "You know in the last two weeks I searched for some information about you, because I wanted to find the best way to kill you and do it spectacularly without going into troubles, but..." there was a hint of hesitation, a pause in the boss' voice that didn't go missed by the cop.

"What, don't tell me you're impressed by my prison record, because I got my ass kicked too many times for my taste" Deeks stated, cringing at the memory of all the beatings he got since he had been arrested. It was becoming a very bad habit.

"...but I found that I can't kill you" the older man said almost ignoring what the cop had just told him "I have to thank you instead"

The blond man stared at Murillo with his mouth wide open; confusion could be clearly read on his expression "Thank me? Are you one of those guys who redeems himself once they got to prison? Like they've seen Virgin Mary or something like that?"

"I heard you took a beating from some inmates protecting a young man and that the guards sent you to isolation because of that"

The cop stared blankly at the other man, in another moment, probably he would have broken up remembering what happened to Eddy, remembering his kind smile and the friendship that the kid had offered him asking nothing in exchange, but there was no space for compassion in his heart, not anymore. Pain would come along with compassion and he didn't want to be hurt anymore "Old story" he simply replied, distantly.

"And I heard that you beat the crap out of the Warden when the same young man was killed attempting to escape" continued Murillo, his dark eyes locked on Deeks' emotionless blue ones "You accused him to be a murderer"

"It didn't help me a lot, I have to say"

"Oh no, you're wrong here, because that act saved your life" Ignacio Murillo stated firmly, but his eyes were filled with tears "Because that young man was my nephew and from what I heard, you've been the only person who showed him a bit of humanity in this place, the only person who treated him like a human being and not like an idiot" he paused giving the other man time to process his words "As I told you before, I admire bravery, but I appreciate even more loyalty. You've been very brave doing what you did, knowing that you could have been punished because of what you did and you've been even more loyal to Eduardo, respecting him until the end. Now, tell me one thing, Marty Deeks, is it true that he wanted to escape?"

Deeks was shocked by the revelation, he didn't expect it at all. He was ready to die today and actually he didn't care that much about it, but now this man, his bitter enemy, was thanking him because he cared about a young man he barely knew "No, he would have never escaped, not that day at least. He was going to see his mother and his brother that day. He was beyond excited but I, I think it was my fault"

"Your fault?" Murillo's eyebrows furrowed.

"Eddy offered me to send a message to my friends, because I'm not allowed to have any visitors" the cop's face lost a bit of his composure "And I think they killed him to stop him from doing it"

"This is not your fault at all. You didn't pull the trigger on a defenseless young man who was not able to hurt anyone. And I am as guilty as you are, because if I didn't convince him to do a job for me, he wouldn't end in here and now maybe he wouldn't be dead" the older man took a deep breath as he walked back towards his bed, sitting heavily on it "Eduardo was like a son to me, his father was a bastard who didn't deserve to live for everything he did to his kids and his wife, my sister Angelita. I took care of him and now I will take care of the man or the men responsible for his death"

"I don't think it will be so easy, but good luck with that" Deeks told him, pretending to get out of the cell.

Murillo studied him "What did they do to you? Because the man who helped my nephew should be caring and gentle, but you... you are cold and distant. This place changed you, more than you want to admit"

The cop chuckled, ironically "What they did to me?" he turned to face the other man, his expression darkened "There's a woman who destroyed everything I had, killed every single person I loved. Everyone. She took everything from me, I think it's enough to change a man"

"You want revenge then. Not a cop sentiment" smirked Murillo, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm not a cop anymore and that man, that cop, died that day his friends died"

The older man nodded, thoughtfully, noticing the fire burning into Deeks' blue eyes "So tell me, how can I help you? Call it a favor for being a good friend for my nephew"

"I want to put my bare hands around her throat and watching the life leaving her body, seconds after seconds" the cop's voice was low and deep, filled with hatred.

"So, what do you think if I can get you out of here?" Murillo said out of nowhere and for the first time, after a long time, a real smile curved Deeks' lips.

* * *

The team was back at the Mission after a trip to the cab company that ended up being a complete fiasco, no one remembered what happened so long ago and most of the taxi drivers had changed company due to some financial problem; finding some answers must take longer than they thought and hoped.

"Eric, tell us you have something more than we got" Kensi asked while rushing into Ops; since the moment she found out that Vika was truly behind this whole mess, she couldn't stop herself, working even hardly, without resting. She was tired, but she simply didn't want to stop. She couldn't, not now that they were getting closer.

"Well, probably yes. I checked all the taxi-trips logs and I found where our dear Vika stopped for" the tech answered with a satisfied note in his voice as he turned to meet the team's glances "Shalimar Internet Cafe on the 54th Street"

"And?" Callen wondered curiously, sometimes he really wanted to push Eric to go straight to the point rather than going in circle with his explanations.

"And someone logged into one of the Ukrainian company's servers from one of the computers of that cafe, few minutes after Vika was left in front of it" a triumphant smile curved the tech's lips, lightening up his entire expression.

"So are you telling us that in the end you found the link between those payments and Vika?" wondered Sam frowning; even if he felt like things were finally getting to the right direction, something was still bothering him, something he couldn't put a finger on.

"Actually we found that someone in the cafe logged into the company's server, but linking it to Vika? Well, that is going to be harder" Eric told the other, knowing that they were not going to like what they were hearing.

"But there must be a way to do it, Eric! We can't let her slip away now that we have found her, that we're so close to her!" Kensi protested vehemently. It seemed to her that her hand was just few inches to her former friend but that she couldn't reach her. And frankly she hated this sensation. The silence that welcomed her request was enough of an answer and again, she didn't like it at all.

"Kensi calm down now, please" Sam said, gently touching her shoulder "Eric is doing everything he can"

"I can't calm down Sam, not now! Not that she is so... so close!" she almost yelled, venting her frustration.

Russel intervened, positioning himself in front of her partner "Kensi, maybe we better get out of here, to get some fresh air. You're tired, you're under a lot of stress and..."

"No! I'm not going anywhere" Kensi insisted, unable to give up "We know that Vika went to that internet cafe, maybe she went back there other times, so let's go and see if someone remembers her. It's not staying here that we might find something"

"Miss Blye, there's only one place where you're going" the door of the operation room swung open and Hetty stepped inside "Home!"

"Hetty, no! You can't ground me. I need to go out and look for her. She..."

"Miss Blye, I said you're going home and don't let me make it an order" the Operations Manager repeated firmly, her voice didn't admit any rebuke "Did I make myself clear?"

"Yes" Kensi told her, reluctantly "But, please, send someone to check on that internet cafe. Please..." her eyes veiled as she bit her lower lip nervously.

"Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna, I think you know what you have to do" Hetty didn't even look at her senior agents while ordering them to do their job "And Mr. Frost, you can accompany Miss Blye home and make sure that she'll stay there"

"As you wish" Russel nodded, slightly tilting his head, pleased for their boss intervention.

"I don't need a chaffeur" protested again Kensi.

"Guys..." Nell spoke for the first time, but no one seemed to listen to her, too busy trying to convince Kensi to go home.

"If I really have to go home, I'm pretty capable of driving myself" insisted the female agent.

"Guys..." again no one listened to the petite analyst.

"Kensi, Russel will give you a lift. End of the discussion" Callen used his best bossy voice, but his friend didn't want to hear his reasons.

"Guys!" this time Nell tried to raise her voice, but only when Eric whistled everyone realized that she wanted their attention.

"Yes, Miss Jones" it was Hetty who talked to her first, making a wary face to Eric who bowed his head ashamed.

"I think we have a problem" the analyst finally said, her eyes fixed on the screen of her computer, in shock.

"What kind of problem?" Sam wondered, moving towards her to check on what she was watching.

"A big one" she turned around to face the rest of the team "Deeks escaped from prison"

Silence fell into the room, as different emotions were running through everyone's mind.

"What?" Callen broke the awkward moment "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. I've just read the Police report of a double jailbreak from Mojave Correction Center. Yesterday two inmates escaped. According to the report, during the guards' the last control of the day they couldn't find Deeks nowhere. NAother inmate was missing... Lance Ramirez. They assumed that Deeks escaped along with this Ramirez guy" Nell was reading a file on her computer that she promptly put on the big screen.

"What do we know about this Ramirez?" Hetty asked; she leaned against the big table wondering why Mr. Deeks did something so desperate like escaping. Her eyes moved towards Kensi who seemed on the edge of a breakdown, the mask she was wearing was slowly falling down.

"Well, he was one of the most trustworthy associates of..." Eric's voice trembled as he read the data he was receiving "...of Ignacio Murillo"

"Murillo? What the hell is happening here?" Callen was confused, too many information were filling his mind along with his own thoughts. None of them good, not at all.

"Oh my God!" Nell exclaimed.

"Nell, what?" Kensi's heart was pounding in her chest, almost exploding. A sense of dread gripped his heart, clenching it in a tight vice "Nell, what's wrong?"

"Murillo has been transferred to the Mojave, few weeks ago!" the petite analyst affirmed with a feeble voice.

"Are you serious?" Sam asked, shaking his head in disbelief. This was wrong, completely wrong.

"Sadly yes. According to the transfer order, Ignacio Murillo and four of his men had been moved to the Mojave Correction Center under the express request of Warden Limpkin" Nell explained as a picture of the Warden showed up on screen along with the image of Murillo and his men.

"And why the hell did he do such a thing? It's stupid asking to have such dangerous inmates in your prison, it means trouble!" Russel stated. He had been updated by Callen and Sam about the whole story and so he knew what kind of man Ignacio Murillo was and mostly how dangerous the man was.

"Sadly there's only one explanation and I don't like it a single bit of it" Hetty told them, sighing heavily.

"No... no... NO!" Kensi felt a pang in her heart, understanding where the Operations Manager was going.

"What's up?" Eric was confused, he couldn't get the secret and silent code the two women were using.

It was Callen that taking a deep breath, talked to him "There's one thing that Murillo wanted, that he desired since the moment he has been sent to jail. Revenge against Deeks" his voice was grave, unable to hide his true concern, his deep sorrow.

"You mean that... that he wanted to kill Deeks?" the tech was shocked, he hated violence, but he hated even more when one of his friends was in danger. The fact that they have not been able to talk to Deeks in months only increased his fear for his friend.

"But why did this Warden Limpkin do such a thing? My question is still valid" Russel insisted, puzzled "If he didn't do it for simple stupidity, there would be only another reason, that he agreed with Murillo's desire of revenge and believe me, this is not good for your friend. Not at all"

"Russel has a point" Sam frowned "Even if I don't understand why this Limpkin guy could hold a grudge against Deeks"

"The problem is that we don't know what happened in that damn place during the last seven months" Callen intervened, a serious note in his usually calm voice "We don't know what happened between Limpkin and Deeks, but the idea of a Warden of a prison wanting to kill one of his inmate is just sick!"

"You're wrong Callen" Kensi spoke calmly "We know what happened in the past months. A crazy bitch sent Deeks to jail. I still don't know how she did it without leaving a single trace, but believe me, I'll find her and I'll make her pay" she said with such a cold voice that everyone turned to look at her, but before anyone could tell her something, she added "But first I have to find Deeks"

"Kensi, are you sure that... well, you know that..." Sam didn't want to finish the sentence, it hurt him only to think about that, but maybe they should start thinking that behind Deeks' disappearing might be other reasons.

"NO! Deeks is not dead! I bet there's an explanation if he escaped with this Ramirez guy. Maybe this guy wanted a break from Murillo as well" Kensi was trying to convince herself, but she couldn't deny the fact that she was scared to death "I... I think I'm going home now, maybe he will find a way to contact me, maybe he will try to find his way to..."

"Miss Blye, you know better than me, that the Police is looking for him and the first places they will search will be the ones he is familiar with" Hetty hated doing this, hated disenchanting her agent. She could imagine that Kensi was looking for something to cling on, something that kept her hopes high.

"And what do I have to do Hetty? Stay here and rummaging through things? Thinking that he might be dead? I'm sorry but I can't do that. You ordered me to go home and so I will follow your nice advice" with that the female agent walked out of Ops.

"Mr. Frost, please, be sure she'll get home safe and sound" the Operation Manager suggested to her newest agent who nodded and ran after his partner. Then moving her attention to the two techs, she told them "Mr. Beale, I want all the details about the evasion, everything you can find. Miss Jones, you should check once again the list of all the inmates of the Mojave Correction Center and see how many of them are linked to Mr. Deeks, I have a bad feeling about it"

"Do you think that there's more than one man in that jail who wanted Deeks dead?" Sam's stomach knotted at the idea.

"I'm afraid my answer might be yes, Mr. Hanna" Hetty sighed heavily "And Miss Jones, please, can you check the names of all the personnel of the prison?"

Nell stared at Hetty with a puzzled expression "What do I have to look for? Anything in particular?"

"Just look, Miss Jones. Just look" the Operations Manager shook her head, not liking at all the way the situation was evolving "Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna, you go check that internet cafe. Maybe you will be able to find something useful" she turned on her heels and left.

Eric observed her walking out of the room, than moved his glance to the two senior agents "Do you think he's still alive?" he didn't need to say the name of the man he was talking about. Everyone knew.

Called took a deep breath before answering "I hope so, Eric, but if you know some prayers, it's time to say them" he beckoned to his partner and both the man left Ops.

The tech closed his eyes, opening them when he felt Nell's hand on his shoulder.

"Come one Eric, we better start working and doing something productive" she simply told him, sitting at her computer and beginning to type on her keyboard.

A second later Eric followed her example, silently saying the only prayer he remembered.

_Hail Mary, full of grace...  
_

* * *

And he is out..._  
_

As always thanks to whoever made it till here.


	16. Chapter 16

It's time for another chapter even if RL is keeping so bloody busy.

As always thanks to everyone sent me a feedback, even to the Guests I can't reply personally, and to everyone who's still around reading this.

* * *

No Way Out – Chapter 16

Hetty sat in the armchair looking out of the window the rain falling heavily. She was alone in the house and as always she was enjoying a cup of tea. It had been a very stressful day, full of unexpected news, but it was not time to go to sleep yet. There were still too many things to think about.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, when a sudden light noise of someone opening the unlocked door reached her ears. A little smile curved her lips, since she was expecting that for hours.

The door finally opened and a dark figure, soaking wet, stepped inside.

"I was wondering how long I would have to wait before you showed up" the diminutive woman said turning on the desk lamp.

"I figured you'd be here" the tall figure removed the hood of his sweatshirt, staring straight at her with a lost, distant expression planted on his face.

Hetty couldn't suppress an intake of breath at the sight, this man was almost nothing like the one she remembered. He was thinner, with longer hair and beard, but it was what she saw in his eyes, or mostly what she didn't see into them, that shocked her "You figured correctly, Mr. Deeks" she tried not to show how affected she was by his sight, but it was hard. He truly looked like a ghost, not to mention the fact that he was shivering badly "I knew you would have find your way to this place, that you remembered what I told you years back"

A little sad smile curved his lips, but he didn't say anything to reply.

"You should get out of those wet clothes, before you get sick" Hetty stated, but just a look at him told her that he was probably already sick "You know where to find some clean ones that might fit you. And maybe you can take a shower too. It looks like you need one"

"I don't have time for a shower. I just need to take off these damn uniform" in fact Deeks was still wearing the prison uniform under the hoodie and besides being drenched with water, he was dirty, covered with mud and he clearly smelled awfully "Then, I... I have stuff to do"

"No, you have to rest. At least for this night, tomorrow we will discuss..."

"NO!" he shouted angrily "I can't stop! Not while she's out there... not after... after everything she did"

Hetty understood who he was talking about even if Deeks didn't dare to say Vika's name, it still hurt him just to think about her "Mr. Deeks, it's 2am in the night, the Police is out there looking for you. You better rest for the night until you can. You look like you need it" she studied him, his face, his expression, his hunched shoulders. He was exhausted, ready to fall to pieces "You did the right thing coming here"

Once again a bitter and empty smile curved Deeks' lips "It was the same safe house you sent me during the whole Ortega-Lazik mess. I had nowhere else to go and I knew you were expecting me to show up here..."

"And going to your friends' house would have been too dangerous, I know..." the diminutive woman saw the change in the young man's expression, the sadness veiling his eyes, but it was just a moment because a second later those blue orbs were filled only with hate, nothing else.

"My friends? Hetty, Vika is back... and...and..." he hesitated, it was still hard to say that out loud "She killed them all, she killed everyone I cared for. She's an evil bitch and she is going to pay. I have nothing left to lose. What can they do to me? Sending me to prison for the rest of my life?" a devilish, but extremely sad laugh resounded in the room "Oh sorry, they already did that"

Hetty frowned, not understanding what he was talking about. His friends... killed... then her mind processed his weird behavior, his cold eyes, all the hate she read into them and realization hit her "She visited you, she told things to you, didn't she?" her heart clenched imagining what he went through.

"Visited me? Told me things? The little devil passed as my personal shrink, but it was just an excuse. If only I could get my hands on her" Deeks' hand curled into tight fists thinking about Vika, his body shaken but even more violent shivers that ran down his spine "She showed me the pics... I... I saw all of them..." his voice broke, losing a bit of his composure.

In that moment Hetty understood why they couldn't find any information of the prison psychologist, simply because once again Vika pulled the wool over their eyes, muddying the waters so no one would have ever looked for her. Her heart clenched imagining what he went through, what it might have been for him "Mr. Deeks, I don't know what she told you, but you have to believe me that your friends, all of them, are alive and they can't wait to see you. They missed you deeply" the Operations Manager got up abruptly, figuring that the news might hit the young man like a blast.

Alive... Deeks felt his stomach turning upside down as the room started spinning. He had to lean against the wall not to fall to the floor "I... she said... that..."

He was really falling to the ground this time, completely unbalanced, but Hetty stopped him, barely holding him though. He might be thin, but the height difference between them was still too important.

"Come on, let's get you to the couch" the diminutive woman told him guiding, well almost dragging him towards the couch, where he could sit "Just try to take deep breaths" under the light of the desk lamp, Hetty was able to have a better view of the younger man and once again, she was shocked. Deeks was in an awful state and the paleness that had whitened his face after receiving the unexpected news, had only made things worse. There were black circles under his eyes, the long beard couldn't hide his hollow cheeks and it was more than clear that he truly was at the end of his rope.

"Are they... are they really alive? All of them?" he asked grabbing the lapel of Hetty's jacket like his life depended on that.

The Operations Manager smiled kindly "Yes, all of them, maybe they're a bit banged up, but they are all alive"

"Is Kensi... is she..." he couldn't go on completely overwhelmed by the emotion that was starting to flow through his mind and body after such a long time. It was a weird sensation that engulfed him completely, almost preventing him from breathing.

"Miss Blye is fine, Mr. Deeks, and she missed you" Hetty was sure she could see the tears filling his blue eyes as he sobbed, finally releasing all the tension. She let him cry without saying anything, knowing that he needed it, but deep inside her, her anger grew seeing him so broken, imagining what these past months must have been for him.

When he didn't have any more tears left, Deeks realized what Vika had done to him, how she played with him just to make him suffer, touching him on everything he cared the most in the whole world, simply playing with him, with his sentiments, with his sanity. Once again the rage rushed through his veins like a venom, poisoning him and in spite of the dizziness, he stood up, pacing nervously up and down the room "I have to find her. I have to find her and kill her"

"First you need to take a shower and then to sleep for a bit or you won't be able to move a single step" she told him, trying to convince him, to calm him down. She could see how agitated, how distressed, he was "Mr. Deeks, it's an order. Go take a shower, while I'll prepare you a cup of tea"

Deeks stopped pacing, staring at her with bloodshot eyes. Without saying anything, knowing that complaining with Hetty was useless, he slowly walked towards the bathroom, stepping inside, closing the door behind him, without locking it though. He took off the clothes letting them fall to the floor, without care and mechanically he went into the shower.

The hot water caressed his body as hundreds of thoughts assaulted once again his mind and he was unable to keep them under control; they were like a river in flood that had just broken a dam, invading every cell of his brain. He slid down, sitting on the shower-tray completely drained, physically and emotionally, holding his knees. Vika lied to him about everything, telling him that all of his friends were gone, torturing him day after day, destroying him bit by bit. She sent him to the darkest places of his mind, hardening his heart, changing him, making a different man of him, a man he didn't know anymore. Even now that he was out of that prison, he could still hear her voice resounding in his ears. Her words echoed in his brain... and they still hurt. Deeks held his head that seemed ready to explode, clenching it tightly, his nails digging into his hair, into his scalp as he wanted to stop the pain inflicting himself other pain, as he wanted to empty his mind and let the oblivion engulf him. A bitter laugh came out of his throat when he finally realized that his friends might be alive, but in the end Vika won. She had took from him everything that made him the man he was. She had stolen his dreams and his values. In the end she won because she had destroyed him, killing the man he was before, leaving him almost hopeless.

When he was starting to get cold, Deeks closed the water, collected himself and drying his body with a towel, he moved in front of the mirror, shocked by what he saw. Who was the man reflected in it? He didn't recognize himself and it was not only because of the long hair that caressed his shoulders or because of the beard that fortunately hid his too hollow cheeks. There was a darkness in those eyes reflected in the mirror that chilled his bones, that sent cold shivers of fear through his body. And a lot of anger, repressed, ready to explode… consuming. He laid a hand on the face of the man in the mirror, tracing every line as he wanted to understand what was going through the man's head just with a simple touch and again a sense of hatred, of unstoppable fury grew inside of him. He didn't like what he saw, he didn't like what they, Vika, Abbott, Limpkin, turned him into… he hated himself so badly because he had been so weak, he had been so stupid to allow them to do this to him, because he let them win, turning him into an empty shell only able to hate "Who the hell are you?" he yelled angrily before punching his own reflection and breaking the mirror into a hundreds of pieces. Pain exploded in his hand but he didn't stop, hitting the cracked mirror over and over.

"Mr. Deeks!" Hetty shouted running into the bathroom, finding him on his knees crying like a baby, his hand bloodied. She knelt beside him, holding him, knowing that he needed a human contact after such a long time "It's going to be ok... it's ok" she told him, in motherly way.

She took care of his hand and then she guided the younger man to the bedroom "Here, put on these fresh clothes" she offered him a grey t-shirt, a pair of black sweatpants and a grey jumpsuit. She gave him some privacy as he dressed, trying to ignore the signs and the scars she saw marking his body because they made her furious. The moment she knew he was fully dressed, she stepped into the bedroom holding a cup of fuming tea "Drink this... it's just tea. It will help you relax and it will warm you up"

Without saying anything Deeks took the cup, holding it with both of his shaking hands and slowly sipped it. The hot liquid immediately had an effect on him and a warm feeling engulfed him. He felt his head getting heavier and he was unable to keep his eyes open. He saw Hetty smiling at him "You... you drugged me" he slurred before passing out.

The Operation Manager took the cup of tea away from his hands just in time, positioning it on the bedside table. Satisfied, she put the blond man in a more comfortable position, then she found a blanket in the closet and tucked him in, turning off the light and walking out of the room "Get some rest, Mr. Deeks, just get some rest. We'll think about everything else tomorrow".

* * *

Kensi didn't want to fall asleep hoping that Deeks showed up at her door, but sadly nothing happened. She didn't have any intention to believe what Callen and the others implied back in Ops, she didn't want to think that maybe Deeks didn't really escape but Murillo managed to do what he swore to do when he'd been arrested. No, Deeks was alive, she knew it, she felt it. If something happened to him, she was sure she'd sense it. At least she hoped it worked in that way.

In spite of all of her efforts though, in the end she succumbed to tiredness. Dreams assaulted her sleep, well mostly nightmares actually, taking her to places she never wanted to visit.

It was the sound of her cell phone ringing that brought her back abruptly to awareness. Still half asleep, she searched for her phone, finding it on the edge of the bedside table "Deeks!" she called desperately.

"I'm sorry Miss Blye, it's only me" Hetty's voice reached her ears and for a moment, Kensi couldn't hide a hint of disappointment. Her eyes looked at the clock 3.30am.

"Hetty, hey. Did something happen?" the agent asked hopeful "Did you find him?"

"Miss Blye, do you mind joining me at my apartment on the 25th street? I have a job I'd like you to do for me" the Operations Manager spoke calmly, but Kensi frowned.

Hetty didn't have any apartment on the 25th street. There was only a safe house there "And what kind of job do you have for me at this time of the night?" she asked curiously, sensing that something was really off.

"I'll tell you when you'll get here, but it's about an old friend of mine that needs some support" Hetty continued in her cryptic talk.

"Do you want me to call Sam and Callen too? Or Russel?"

"No, Miss Blye, there's no need for them at the moment" the Operation manager's voice had a hint of amusement that she hardly hid "...and Miss Blye, be sure not to take any of your pets with you. My friends needs some privacy and he's allergic to pets"

Kensi felt a pang at her stomach. It was a code message. Hetty wanted her to be careful that no one was going to follow her. And an old friend that needed privacy... all of the sudden her heart was filled with hope. The safe house on the 25th street was the same one Hetty had sent Deeks after he showed up hurt and tired during the Ortega operation, when everyone thought he was dead. Could it be possible? What if Hetty was really talking about him?

"Miss Blye, did you hear what I said? Do you think you can do me this favor?" the diminutive woman insisted.

"Yeah, of course... just give me time to take a shower and I'll join you there" the female agent replied, all of the sudden she was fully awake.

"Good, I'll wait for you in... a couple of hours?"

"Sounds good to me. See you later Hetty" another code, Hetty wanted Kensi to show up as soon as possible.

Excitement engulfed her, it must be about Deeks or Hetty wouldn't have needed her with such an urgency "Good, think Kensi... think. You'd probably be followed, Police officers might control you in order to take them to Deeks. Think, how can you avoid them?" she moved towards the window that faced the road and caught a glance of a car parked in a semi-hidden spot. She smiled, the Police officers could be pretty obvious in their job. Good for her. She went to the bathroom, washed her face, realizing that she was trembling in expectation. Retrieving her phone and her gun, she used the internal stairs of her building and reached unnoticed the back of her house where she had left Deeks' old car parked. A couple of months ago, she had decided to move it near her house because she hated leaving it unguarded outside his apartment when no one was there. Her neighborhood was, in fact, calmer and quieter than his.

The agent jumped in the car, turning the engine on, and, two minutes later, she left the Police to guard her empty apartment and her still parked car in front of it.

Her heart was pounding in her chest when she finally reached the safe house, sure that no one had followed her. She took a deep breath before knocking at the door.

"Miss Blye, I'm glad you came so quickly" Hetty greeted her on the doorstep.

Kensi stormed inside "Hetty... is he... I mean, I... is it truly about what I think it is? The job... your old friend who needs privacy... please Hetty tell me it's true!"

The older woman simply smiled at her, indicating the way to the main bedroom "He's resting. I had to give him something to make him sleep, because I have to warn you Miss Blye, Mr. Deeks is exhausted and..." she couldn't finish, because her agent was already running towards the other room, stopping in front of the closed door.

Kensi cast one last glance at Hetty who nodded to her. She took a deep breath, hoping to calm her heart that was almost exploding in her chest, then she opened the door and walked inside. The room was barely lit, but she saw a lying figure sleeping on the bed, almost curled into a ball "Deeks..." she murmured feeling the tears forming in her eyes.

She stepped closer to the bed, kneeling next to it so her eyes could stare directly at him "Oh my God... Deeks..." this time she couldn't hold the tears any longer at the sight of him. He looked so different, so worn out even in sleep, but it was him and he was here in front of her. Kensi stretched one of her hand to touch him, afraid of waking him up, afraid of hurting him because he looked so fragile. Her fingers reached his full beard that completely hid his face, they grazed his lips, then found their way through his long hair.

It felt so good touching him, if only he could open those eyes and look at her, but Hetty said she had given him something to make him sleep, to let him rest, because he seriously looked like he needed it.

Kensi cupped Deeks' face kissing his forehead first, then her lips found his. Electricity coursed through her whole body when she did that, a sensation she had so long looked for, that filled every cell of her body "Just get some rest, I'll be here, with you" she told him, whispering as she jumped on the bed and positioned herself behind him, engulfing him in a tight embrace, her arms around him. She buried her face in his neck, closing her eyes and soon, without realizing, she fell asleep, cuddled by his presence, by his closeness, while a silent happy tear rolled down her cheek.

* * *

His sleep was still filled with nightmares, horrible nightmares that chilled his bones, making him shiver violently. Images flashed in front of his eyes as a pair of evil green eyes stared at him, laughing at him, at his pain. Vika stood in front of him, towering him while he was curled into a ball in the isolation cell of the Mojave Correction Center, darkness engulfed him, taking his breath away "They are all dead, Marty. All dead because of you. You killed them, you killed them all"

"No, no... not true... they are not dead... they are alive..." he murmured struggling, feeling someone trying to hold him, afraid he was still tied to the chair while she was telling him that all of his friends were gone, because of him.

A laugh resounded in his ears "Silly Marty, you couldn't save them. You couldn't even save her. Kensi is gone, Marty dear, but her last thought was not even for you. She forgot about you, they all did. You're just a long lost memory, you're a shame that is better to forget" Vika's hissing voice was like a knife in his stomach, twisting and turning painfully.

"No, Kensi... not dead... not dead..." the same pictures that the evil woman had showed him back at the jail appeared in front of his eyes and a deep agony overwhelmed him "Kensi! NO!" he screamed as tears veiled his still closed eyes.

"Deeks... Deeks, wake up!" Kensi said gently, touching him, holding his trembling body in her arms "Come on, Deeks, it's time to wake up. Please... I'm here"

He jerked up, panting heavily. His head was spinning and his heart was pounding in his chest and in his ears as he tried to understand where he was. Then a gentle hand reached his, squeezing it while another found his face.

"Deeks" a sweet voice told him.

No, it couldn't be... it was impossible. She was... she was dead. This was just a dream, a joke his mind was playing to him "Kensi" he whispered with a needful note, a childish tone that broke her heart.

"Yes, it's me. I'm here Deeks" Kensi turned him around so his eyes could look straight into hers "It's real, this is not a dream"

Deeks didn't say anything, he simply stared at her, slowly moving his trembling hand towards her face. When his fingers touched her silky skin, tears formed in his eyes as he couldn't believe that this was really happening.

Kensi covered his hand with hers, slightly tilting her head to feel the warm of his palm on her face, to enjoy his gentle touch, closing her eyes like she was ecstatic. Then she took his hand and kissed it, slowly and sweetly "It's all real" she repeated locking her gaze on him.

"You're... you're alive" he engulfed her in a tight embrace, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her scent, sobbing while his heart couldn't take all the different emotions overwhelming it.

She was startled by his reaction, not understanding what he meant with those words, but she sensed his desperation first and his relief immediately after. She broke the hug and cupped his face, tentatively capturing his lips in a deep kiss. She had missed it, she had missed him so much that all of this didn't even look real "You're really here" she murmured as her eyes watered in happiness.

"She... she said you were dead, that you were all dead. You, Callen, Sam... Eric, even Monty. Is, is he ok?" Deeks asked, moving aside a lock of hair from her forehead so he could have a full view of her beautiful face.

Kensi felt a pang in her heart when she finally understood what he meant with those words, realizing what he went through, what it must have been for him being closed in that place, unable to have any contact with the rest of the world, when the only news he received were distorted to make him suffer. Her anger and her hate towards Vika grew even more, becoming almost uncontrollable. "He's fine Deeks. Monty is fine... someone poisoned him, but he's ok now. And so are the others. Eric had a car accident but he's all right as well and we... well, we found face to face with a bomb, but we're all ok"

He tensed at the mention of Monty's poisoning and of the incidents occurred to his friends, breaking the contact with her "It's my fault" he buried his face in his hands "She did it only to hurt me, destroying everything and everyone I cared for"

"Hey, look at me" Kensi lifted his head so his blue eyes could stare directly into her mismatched ones "None of this is your fault. Vika is the only responsible"

His expression hardened hearing the name of the woman who had created all of this mess, of the woman who wanted to destroy his life piece by piece "She killed Abbott and set up all the evidence against me. I don't know how she did it though, but she..."

"We know, Eric found a way to link her to those bank payments that convinced everyone you were a dirty cop, we're working on the way to re-open your case, Deeks. Maybe we can even find the way to prove she killed Abbott"

"NO! I have to find her and stop her" Deeks interrupted her, his whole body was shaken by trembling as he spoke, his eyes were cold as ice "There's no other way. She... she has to pay, this time I won't let her go, no matter what the consequences will be. This time I will stop her even if it will be the last thing I will do"

Kensi was shocked by the sudden change of his behavior, by the cold tone of his voice, something she never heard before, that sent shivers down her spine. What did they do to you? She wondered looking for his hands "Deeks, we'll get her. Together"

"No, it's too dangerous, I don't want any of you to be involved. She wants me and I will give her..."

"NO!" it was Kensi's turn to yell now "Now you listen to me. We're together in this, ok? You and me, Deeks. And the rest of the team!"

"Not this time, not after everything she did to me. I am alone in this Kensi, in facing her, as I was alone in the last eight months!"

She saw something in Deeks' eyes, something she had never seen before, something that scared her. There was pure hate, anger, desperation and blinded determination, but not a hint of compassion, of everything of the man she knew, of the man she fell in love with. Kensi felt her heart going to pieces, exploding in her chest just trying to imagine what the last months had probably been for him, to figure out what happened to him to change him so deeply "Deeks" she said softly, caressing his bearded face "Don't do this to yourself, don't do this to me, please. I am here, for you. With you. You're not in that place anymore, she can't hurt you here, no one can, not until I'll be here with you" there were tears in her eyes, tears that she had held for too long.

Deeks watched her, breaking up in front of him; he could read her pain, her suffering, something he hated more than anything else. With his thumbs he wiped away the tears from her cheeks, gently touching her, making her shiver "She's evil, Kensi. She... I don't want to start telling you what she did..." his voice cracked as he closed his eyes hoping to forget, to erase from his mind every memory of what Vika had done to him "I... I thought I have lost everything, I was losing my mind and maybe I did it. I have this void inside of me, this hunger that eats me from the inside, this anger... this what kept me alive in that place, but now it's... it's destroying me..."

Kensi wanted to tell him hundreds of words, but she couldn't find the right ones, so she simply hugged him, guiding him towards her, letting him cry on her shoulder "We'll get her, Deeks, I promise you. Together we'll get her and we'll set things straight. You're here now and everything will go well now. You're not alone..."

He straightened up himself hearing what she told him, smiling bitterly "It's impossible to set things straight, Kensi. She destroyed my life, my career. Even if we'll clear my position, even if we'll prove my innocence, I won't be able to do my job anymore..." realization hit him all of the sudden "She won, no matter how this story will end, she will be the winner and I'll be the loser. Vika already took away everything from me... she took my life"

Kensi cupped his face "No, she didn't take away everything, you still have all of your friends, you still have me" she planted a soft kiss on his lips and for the first time, she felt his body relax, losing a bit of the tension as he kissed her back "We'll take things step by step and the first one is getting you on your feet. In the meantime we'll work to find a way to get her"

"Kensi, I..."

"Sshhtt" she silenced him with another kiss "I don't want to hear any complaint" she passed a hand through his hair, smiling, her expression softened "I've never seen you with such long hair, it's not that bad but the beard should go"

This time he couldn't suppress a chuckle at her remark "I will leave you the honor to shave it then"

Kensi was aware that the road to normality was still long and hard, but she told him that they were going to take one step after another, slowly, and this was just the first little step. The last months had changed him, deeply, but she was sure that the man she loved, the man that was sent unfairly to jail, was still there. She had only to wait, patiently for him to come out. She was ready to wait for the rest of her life, because Deeks was worth it, because what they had was worth it "It will be my pleasure then"

* * *

Half an hour later Kensi emerged from the bedroom finding Hetty sitting in the armchair staring outside the window. She approached the Operations Manager, finding a place on the couch, heavily, without saying anything.

"I sent a message to the rest of the team, they will be here soon, using some precautions of course" the older woman spoke calmly without even moving a single inch "How's he doing?"

"He's a mess, but I think it was expected after… everything" the female agent bit her lip nervously, her hands curled into tight fists "Hetty, is it possible to hate someone so deeply, to want to kill her without even questioning her... without regret? Because I only want to kill Vika right now, to skin her alive, to give her not just a taste of her own medicine, but the full package" her voice was cold and low, filled with hatred.

"It's a fair sentiment, Miss Blye. I can't deny the fact that I feel exactly the same right now, but we can't let the hate guide our actions or we'll be doomed" Hetty told her with a faint smile curving her lips. "Now, back to my original question, how's Mr. Deeks really doing?"

A knock at the door prevented Kensi from answering.

"Mr. Callen, it's open" the Operations Manager said and a second later Callen and Nell walked inside. Anxiety could be easily read on their faces.

"Hetty, is it true? Is Deeks here?" the blue eyed man wondered scanning the room. It was clear that he was pretty eager to see his friend too after such a long time, but in a certain way, he was also afraid realizing that probably his friend could have changed a lot in the past months, that he could be nothing like the man he was.

"The answer is yes to both of your questions" Hetty told him, stopping him with a simply movement of her eyes, preventing him to go look for Deeks in the other room.

Nell moved towards the couch, sitting beside Kensi "Hey, are you ok?" she asked, concerned, taking her friend's hand in hers, understanding that it might be a complicated moment for her.

"I'm fine Nell, but I will be even better when we'll get Vika" the female agent stated coldly right when the door of the apartment opened and Sam and Eric stepped inside.

"Before you could ask it again, the answer is yes. Mr. Deeks is here" the Operation Manager informed them too.

The ex-Seal exchanged a gaze with his partner who nodded him back. Eric seemed very impatient as he stood still in the center of the room with his tablet in his hand.

"Indeed I am" a weak voice said from the other side of the room.

Everyone turned to see the source of the voice. Deeks was leaning against the wall, still a bit unsteady on his legs. The long beard was gone, thanks to Kensi, and now his hollow cheeks were even more evident, his weariness even more obvious.

The first one to move a step towards him was Eric who tentatively hugged him "It's... it's so good to see you" the tech murmured.

"You... you can't imagine how true it is" the blond man lost his balance and only because of the support of the wall he didn't fall to the floor. He felt his eyes watering, but he tried to keep some composure, smiling faintly.

When the two men broke apart, Deeks walked towards Callen and Sam who stood side by side "Callen... Sam..." he muttered unable to say more.

The team leader grabbed his hand and guided into an embrace surprising him, but he was unable to say anything, unexpectedly too emotional.

When his partner released his friend, Sam put a hand behind Deeks' neck, with affection, looking at him in the eyes, guiding the younger man's head towards his shoulder "Damn it, Deeks" He felt tears forming in his eyes, but he tried not to shed them even if it was hard.

There was a lot of tension in the air, mixed with a heavy load of emotions that knotted everyone's throat.

Nell approached Deeks, touching him as she still didn't believe he was truly there in front of her, then, silently, she threw herself against him, unbalancing him and almost making him fall to the floor "Oh, I am sorry… I…" she told him when she realized how weak, how exhausted he was "Why don't you sit down? You look like you need to rest"

"I don't need to rest, I need to find her" the blond man was still finding hard to say Vika's name, afraid that doing it out loud could intensify the memories and the pain.

"Mr. Deeks you won't do anything until you will be able to stand at least" Hetty scolded him, giving him a hard, protective look. She could understand the young man's impatience, his desire, but he was in no shape to do anything or he would probably kill himself.

"I am perfectly capable of…" Deeks' words were cut off by a knock at the door that froze everyone in the small and crowded living room. Panic could be easily read on his face, but he felt Kensi's reassuring hand on his "Were you waiting for anyone else?" he wondered as his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

The Operations Manager smiled, gently "It's ok, Mr. Deeks" then moving her attention to the door, she said "Come in, Mr. Frost"

Russel Frost stepped inside, tentatively, feeling like an intruder. He caught a glimpse of the blond man sitting on the couch next to Kensi and he bowed his head, a bit ashamed "Sorry, I… I didn't mean to interrupt anything"

Deeks frowned seeing the newcomer, a man he recognized from the pictures Vika had showed him and he felt a pang at his stomach. This was the man who had taken his place.

Kensi saw him get tense so she squeezed his hand while talking "It's ok Deeks. He's a friend"

"He's your partner, I know" the blond man told her, feebly "She showed me pics"

Everyone looked at him, feeling his pain. Callen's jaw tightened just imagining what that evil woman could have told his friend in the past months, playing with his mind, hurting him, and his rage grew even more. Sam clenched his fists as he wanted to hit someone.

"I'm just someone watching her back while waiting for you to come back" Russel stated, giving Deeks a faint smile "You are his partner, she was pretty categorical in telling me that"

There was a moment of awkward silence until Deeks broke it, nodding solemnly at Frost "I don't find it hard to believe it" he said smirking, becoming serious when he added "Thanks for that"

"How… how did you get out of jail? When we found out that one of Murillo's men escaped and that no one was able to find you, for a moment we feared that they killed you" Nell asked, moving the conversation to another matter.

Deeks stared at her, with a questioning gaze planted on his face "How did you… gah, I shouldn't be surprised" he sighed heavily, leaning his head against the back seat of the couch, closing his eyes. He was still shaking and feeling so tired "There was a kid in jail, his name was Eduardo Montero. He was the only person who… who… he was a friend…"

"Was?" Callen wondered curiously, not liking Deeks' tone as he spoke.

"Yeah, he's dead now" there was such a profound sadness in the young man's voice, a deep sorrow that veiled his words "The guards killed him saying that he tried to escape… but he would have never done that, not that day" tears rolled down his cheeks "He wanted to help me, but they killed him, because of me. I was so mad, I…" he couldn't go on, it was too painful.

Kensi passed an arm around his shoulders to let him know that she was there, for him, but he wriggled from her touch, burying his face in his hands.

"Ignacio Murillo was Eddy's uncle" Deeks continued finding a bit of strength "When I told him about what I wanted to do with Vika, he offered me his help, because I have been kind to his nephew. He has a lot of friends and connections so he helped found a way to get me out. Rodriguez and I hid in a trash bin and with the help of a guard who was on Murillo's payroll, we managed to get out of that damn place. Murillo sent Rodriguez with me to cover my back during the escape" his expression hardened "Now I'm out and nothing is going to stop me from finding her and kill her with my bare hands" his voice was different now, sadness was gone substituted by a fierce and blind determination, by desire of revenge. By hate.

"Deeks, revenge is…" Sam tried to tell him, but a cold glance stopped him.

"What Sam? Revenge is not what we do? Sorry, but I don't give a damn about that anymore, not after everything that bitch did, not after she sent me to rot in that place!"

"But we're Federal Agent, we can't just go out there looking for vengeance" the ex-Seal insisted, keeping his voice calm.

"You are Federal Agents, I am not. I am not even a cop anymore! They can't even do anything more to me than they haven't already done" the blond man's blue eyes were burning with rage "They already sentenced me to life. I have nothing left to lose"

"Stop! Don't talk like that!" Kensi almost shouted with tears in her eyes "You have a lot to lose, because we'll get Vika and we'll prove your innocence so you'll be able to come back to us, to come back to me" she admitted, uncaring of the fact that all the others were in the same room.

Deeks was touched by her words and for a moment he could not reply to her "I don't have a job anymore Kens and with my face been thrown on TV, every chance of undercover work is gone forever. You know that better than me!"

"I am not talking about your job, you idiot" she cupped his face, finding strange when her fingers touched his clean shaved skin "I am talking about me… about your friends. You'll come back to us, because we're here for you, waiting for you. We care about you because of what you are, not because of your job"

His blue eyes watered as he leaned his forehead against hers, unable to talk.

Silence fell into the living room until Eric, surprising everyone, broke it "Deeks, you said that Vika went to see you, so maybe we can find her checking the cameras outside the prison. I think I finally found a way to crack into the system, maybe it's time to try and see if it works"

"How did she do that? How did she manage to visit you when no one of us was allowed to do it?" Nell echoed feeling a sense of relief for the first time in months, maybe they could finally find a way to help their friend, concretely, not just on paper.

Deeks broke apart from Kensi, still holding her hand though, as she gave him the strength to go on, to be focused, without losing himself into his consuming desire of revenge "She is the one who didn't allow anyone around me since she posed as my therapist, as the prison psychologist. She is going with the name of Dr. Lisa Wessler" he admitted shocking everyone.

"What? How… how was she able to do it? Her face was on every wanted list of all the Federal Agencies of the whole country!" Kensi voiced her concern and disdain.

"I… I don't know, but she paid me regular visits" the blond man was still talking while Eric was already working on his tablet.

"Here she is" the tech showed a picture of a nice blond woman with green eyes "This is the real Dr. Lisa Wessler which is actually a psychologist. She was working at a clinic in San Diego until nine months ago when she received a notification to become The Mojave Correction Center local psychologist"

"Too bad she's not the woman who took care of me" Deeks stated feeling all of the sudden drained of all of his energy. He felt dizzy even if he was sitting on the couch and he paled considerably.

"Deeks! You need to rest" Kensi told him as she helped him to find a more comfortable position on the couch. She checked his temperature touching his forehead, sensing the intense heat emanating from his body "You're burning up!"

"I'm good Kensi" he murmured, but it was clear that he was not able to win the battle against consciousness.

"Oh yes, we can see that Mr. Deeks. You need to go back to bed" Hetty said moving in front of him. When she saw him trying to protest, she added "Don't even try to say anything or I'll be forced to drug you again. This is an order" her tone sweetened as she went on talking "Let us do our job for now. You're safe here, no one will look for you here"

"Yeah Deeks, you need to rest meanwhile we'll try to find Vika's location" Callen nodded at his friend "We know you want to get her and trust me, we understand that, but you're in no condition to do anything at the moment"

"Callen is right. We'll find her and then we'll call you when it will be time to go and get her" insisted Sam kneeling in front of his younger friend "We won't let you out of this. You have my word on this"

"Promise?" Deeks wondered a bit childishly.

"Promise" once again the ex-Seal put a reassuring hand on the blond man's neck who, reluctantly, nodded. "Come on, let me help you to get to bed" Sam put him on his feet, shocked to see how thin his friend was, how much weight he lost.

With the help of his friends, Deeks was put to bed and soon, after his head touched the pillow, he fell asleep.

"I… I will stay here, with him" Kensi told the rest of his teammates "Just in case"

Callen smiled at her, kissing her on cheek "Keep him safe"

"You just find her. Soon" she cut him short, before taking a chair and sitting at Deeks' bedside, holding his hand and gently caressing his hair.

"Count on that" the team leader told her steadily, before walking out of the room and closing the door behind himself, giving his friends some privacy.

* * *

It took them too long, but finally they are together again! It was about time... don't you think?


	17. Chapter 17

As always thanks to everyone who's still reading, reviewing and following this story (I still can't believe I had more than 200 reviews... not bad for a "bad-English" written story LOL!).

Anyway, it's time for another chapter.

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 17

The team was back at the Mission with Nell and Eric working on the camera feed of the outside of the prison and on Lisa Wessler's life. The two techs had disappeared in Ops right after putting a foot at the office and no one had seen them since then.

Hetty was in her office making phone calls, but no one was allowed to know to whom or about what subject.

Callen, Sam and Russel were sitting in the bullpen, every one of them lost in his own thoughts.

"Well, that was… intense" Frost stated, closing his computer, gaining a wary glance from the two senior agents.

"Intense?" the ex-Seal scrutinized the newest teammate's expression trying to understand what he was referring to.

"Yeah, that scene at the safe house. For what everyone told me about Deeks, the guy is a joker, a goof, but what I've seen so far was so bloody intense to become almost scary, I have to add" Russel explained sensing a certain hostility coming from the other men.

"I think you would be the same if you spent the last eight months in prison knowing that you were innocent" Callen almost snapped, his tone bitter.

"Hey, I am not saying that he doesn't have any reason to be tense, but… I don't know, he… he looked…"

"He looked what, Russel? Do you have the slightest idea of what he's been through? This experience might have changed every one of us… and you know what? Many of us wouldn't have survived it" Sam added harshly.

"Wow, calm down guys. I didn't mean to judge him. I just wanted to tell you that you have to stay close to him, because he seemed really on the verge of breaking up and mostly, he seemed ready to kill that woman without any regret, because he doesn't have anything left to lose" Russel lifted his hands in sign of defeat, afraid of the two men protectiveness towards the former detective.

Callen and Sam exchanged a knowing glance; they had the same sensation while talking to Deeks at the safe house. They both read something into his usual joyful eyes that unsettled them; it was like this whole experience had stolen the best part of him, the funny and caring one, leaving to him just anger and hate, sentiments that could lead a man to destruction. At the moment, this was the last thing they wanted for their friend, but after seeing him today, they feared he was walking on a very dangerous path.

"Damn it!" the ex-Seal swore, slamming his palm on the desk "I hate this!"

The team leader passed a hand over his face, sharing his partner's feelings "Yes, I know, sadly he's right" he said, looking at Frost.

"You know G, I hate that Deeks had to go through all of this because of that bitch, but I hate even more the fact that we didn't find out about her sooner, that we left him in jail for eight months! Eight months is a life time in a place like that!" Sam was trying to keep his emotions at bay, but sadly for him, he was failing "You saw him, G. You saw in what kind of state he is. You saw the way he reacted when he was talking about that kid… something bad happened to him in that place and I am not so sure I want to know what it is because it hurts, because I feel like we could have done something more for him, like we abandoned him to his fate"

"You know it's not true Sam, we tried" Callen hoped his words could reassure his friend, but at this point it was hard.

"Maybe we didn't try hard enough, maybe we…" a whistle interrupted the big man's words.

"Guys, you better come and see" Eric told them and immediately the three agents climbed up the stairs running.

"What do we have?" the blue eyed team leader asked as usual.

As an answer the tech pressed a key on his pad and the screen took life, showing the footage of the outside of the Mojave Correction Center "Sadly this is the only camera available. The others had been disabled or they are controlled by someone else that doesn't allow us to hack in there" Nell explained, sorry for the low quality of the video.

They saw a dark green car approaching the prison, crossing the gate and stopping in the yard opposite to the main building. A tall woman with blond hair got out of the vehicle, greeted immediately by a bald man they all recognized as the Warden.

"Is it her?" Russel wondered curiously, biting his lower lip nervously. He could feel the tension thickening in the control room and a sense of uneasiness pervaded him.

"Yes, it's her" Callen stated firmly. He didn't need a closer look of the woman, he could identify her from the way she moved, from her posture, the way she walked "It's Vika"

"She… she can't use her right hand" Russel stated frowning "Didn't Deeks shoot her when she attacked him and Kensi before escaping?"

"Yes, maybe she did all of this because of that" Sam replied gravely "For sure shooting her didn't help his cause. That woman is so evil that she probably blames him for that"

"Eric, do you get the license plate of the car?" the team leader asked with a hint of anxiety in his voice.

"Yes, I already put it in kaleidoscope but for now we don't have any match, but…" the tech paused sighing heavily "We have the address of Lisa Wessler's house"

"There are cameras in the area that we're attempting to sort out, to find out about Vika's movements, but it seems that right now she's not there" Nell intervened firmly "I have sent the address to your phones"

"Thanks Nell. Come on guys, let's go check on that" Callen told Sam and Russel "You two go on watching those footages, we need to find out everything about her and contact us if you'll have news"

"Count on that" the petite analyst affirmed, moving to her computer to start working "Wherever she is, we'll find her, won't we Eric?"

Eric hesitated a moment before saying with a firm voice that he rarely used "Of course we'll do that. She won't have any way out this time!"

* * *

Kensi couldn't take her eyes away from Deeks' sleeping figure in bed, illuminated by the dim light of the bed lamp. Her heart clenched tightly at the sight of the man she loved struggling, fighting the nightmares haunting him. She knew he needed to rest, that he was beyond exhausted, but when he had cried out her name, in pain, she truly wanted to wake him up, too bad the meds Hetty had given him to fight his raging fever, didn't allow her.

She observed the deep wrinkles signing his forehead, the dark circles under his eyes, the way he clenched tightly the blanket covering his body and she only wanted to make him feel better, she only wanted to take away his suffering.

Gently passing her hand through his hair, Kensi whispered soothing words hoping they could reach his wandering mind, taking him away from the dark place he was trapped into right now where he was fighting his personal demons.

"You're safe now, Deeks. I am here with you and I won't allow anyone to hurt you again, I won't allow anyone to take you back to prison now that you're here, now that you're with me" she caressed his flushed face scared by the intense heat emanating from his skin and a lonely tear rolled down her cheek. But it was his behavior when he was talking to Sam and Callen that had scared her even more; that was not the Deeks she knew, the Deeks she remembered. That was a man with such a hard and cold heart, a man with nothing to lose, a man without future. She shivered at the idea of what had happened to him to change him so deeply, at the idea that she had lost definitely the part of him that had reached her own heart, that had gained her love and respect. She heard just a glimpse, pieces of what the past eight months had been for him and it had been already enough for her.

Kensi leaned towards him, planting a chaste kiss on his lips trying to let him feel her presence, to let him know that she was there for him, to give him a bit of that human contact that no one had given him while he was in jail. But she couldn't lie to herself, she kissed him even for her, because she had missed him more than she had ever imagined, because he was like the oxygen filling her lungs, like the water that quenched her thirst. He was more than everything to her. She wanted to kiss him to believe herself that this was true, that this was not another of her dreams that kept her company during the last months.

She still had Deeks' hand in hers when she felt him squeezing it, sign that another nightmare was coming.

"Please, get me out… please… she killed them… she's evil… please get me out of here… please… please…" he murmured almost incoherently, tossing and turning "Please… don't leave me here… please… I… I can't… I can't breathe… please… Kensi… Kensi… no! No… NO!" he screamed painfully as he opened his glassy eyes wide, unaware of his surroundings "NO! Please!"

"Deeks, it's ok… it's ok. You're safe… please, look at me" she told him caressing his freshly shaved face "Deeks, look at me… come on, do it for me, please" she begged him, her heart breaking seeing him so lost and in pain.

"No, you're dead… not real… you're all dead… not real… not real… not real…" he repeated over and over "She killed you… she killed you all" he burst out crying, sobbing uncontrollably, his whole body trembling even more evidently.

Kensi cupped his face, sitting on the bed next to him and once again, she did the only thing her heart told her to do, she kissed him "It's all real Deeks… I am real"

Deeks blinked several times panting heavily, trying to get his breathing under control, finally aware of her presence "Kensi?" he whispered as other tears flowed down his face, before she engulfed him in a tight embrace. When he broke apart, he stared at her, his expression lost.

"Where were you?" she wondered, without thinking, mechanically.

He gave her a faint smile, before murmuring "In hell" then he guided his knees to his chest, resting his head on them, turning his face away from her, unable to look at her.

"It's gone" she sat so her shoulder could brush his and passed her arms around them "You are not there anymore"

"Every time I close my eyes, every time I am in the dark, I'm back there Kensi… it's so oppressive, so… I… I can't breathe, there's no air and I…"

"Sshhtt, you're with me. Do you remember where you are?"

"It's not gone Kensi, it's in here" Deeks indicated his head "And here" and his heart "That place was so dark and… I can't go back there, I can't… I don't want to sleep, it's dark when I sleep and you're not there. You're dead and… and it kills me"

Kensi took his hand and guided it to her chest, right on her heart "Can you feel it? Can you feel the heartbeat? I am alive and you're safe. It's not a dark place…"

He chuckled ironically "I am so messed up… I wanted to resist, but it was hard and it was so dark and hot and I…" he took a deep breathe, closing his eyes "I hated that place Kensi, but I… I didn't want to beg him to get me out, I didn't want him to win, but I was alone and she said you were dead and I…" mixed images of Vika and Abbott danced in front of him, their voices echoed in his head haunting him.

The NCIS agent felt a pang in her stomach sensing his discomfort, she wanted to help him, but she didn't know how to take his mind away from the haunting memories "Deeks, I know it's hard, but it's really over… you're safe"

"I don't want to go back there, Kensi" he admitted childishly, his eyes filled with tears, tears that he had probably held for too long "I hated that cell, I hated Abbott, I hated the Warden, but I couldn't do anything against them. I tried but they kept sending me in there"

"Sending you where, Deeks?" Kensi was aware that this was something very painful for him to relive, but on the other hand she knew that he couldn't take it bottled inside of him forever or it will destroy him.

"The isolation cell. It was so dark and hot and she kept telling me things about you. I can still hear her voice or Abbott's laughing at me" he was like a river in flood now, talking and crying at the same time "I only wanted to get out of that place but I never begged them, even when they… when they didn't give me anything to drink or to eat" Deeks stared at her with a broken expression "I wanted to give up Kensi, I only wanted to die, but I… I couldn't because I promised you that I would have never given up. I promised you"

A knot tightened Kensi's stomach as she engulfed him in an embrace "And you made it, Deeks. You made it and you didn't give up, now… you're here, with me. We're together and no one will separate us, I won't allow it"

"I… I thought I lost you" he murmured, caressing her face with the back of his hand, gently, sending shivers down her back "I missed you so much" with a tender movement he captured her lips in a kiss that she returned immediately as her fingers played through his long hair.

"You will never lose me, Deeks, because I love you" she told him once they broke apart with any more air left in their lungs "And I won't stop loving you. Never"

Deeks moved one of her dark locks aside from her face, staring intently at her mismatched eyes "I love you too, Kens"

Kensi guided him towards the bed, smiling, still caressing him "You need to rest if you want to be up and running soon"

"Will you sleep with me?" his voice was low and needy, but there was no malice in his words. He simply needed to feel her, to get a human contact from her, something he had desired for so long while he was in jail, something he couldn't live without anymore.

"Of course…" she climbed on the bed, positioning herself behind him, encircling his body with her arms "Come on, time to get some sleep" she was turning the bed lamp off when he stopped her, grabbing her wrist, maybe a little too stronger than he intended.

"NO!" he almost yelled, his voice vibrated, filled with fear, with pure terror.

Kensi was shocked at first, by the strength he put in that simple gesture. Her wrist was aching, but she ignored it, leaning her head against his shoulder, whispering "It's ok. We'll let it on. I like to be able to see your face. I missed it too much" she smiled softy, sensing his body relaxing a bit.

Deeks released the hold on her and snuggled into her arms, feeling safe after a long, long time. The nice sensation cradled him to sleep while Kensi whispered him soothing words in his ears.

* * *

"Eric, Nell, are you sure there's no one here?" Sam asked approaching Lisa Wessler's house, Callen and Russel at his side.

"Yes, the house is empty and camera feeds confirmed that it's been like that for days" Eric informed the agents, before Nell intervened.

"The last time they caught a glimpse of someone around it, it was the day after Deeks escaped from jail" the analyst added to give them a complete information about the situation.

"Do we know if Lisa Wessler lives alone or if she has someone in her life?" the team leader said un-holstering his gun and stopping in front of the door.

"She lives with a man, Jonathan Herbert, he's an engineer who is actually working on an oil-plant in North Africa and who won't be home for several months" Eric was going through the folders on his computer "So answering your question, she lives alone at the moment"

"Ok, we're going in" the ex-Seal stated, indicating to Russel to take the back door while Callen and he will take the front. When everyone was in position, after knocking at the door and not receiving any answer, they stepped inside picking the lock, but they found the house empty.

"Clear" they shouted a bit disappointed. They were pretty sure Vika wouldn't be so stupid to wait for them in this house, but they hoped at least to find the real Lisa Wessler, fearing for her life.

"We're taking a look around to see if we can find something useful" the team leader said, wearing a pair of gloves as his teammates did the same.

"Eric there's a laptop here" Russel moved towards a job desk and connected a pen drive to the computer "Can you find a way to get in?"

The tech worked on his keyboard and two minutes later he smiled triumphantly "I'm in. I am downloading all the data…. Right now"

After few minutes they realized that the house was completely clear, there was nothing that give them any new information, but mostly nothing showed that someone had been here in the past days.

"Something is not right here" Sam frowned as a bad feeling started growing inside of him "It looks like she left this place some time ago or that she has never been here"

Russel had just emerged from the bedroom when he noticed a door that lead probably to the basement "Guys?" he called the other two agents, his gun firmly in his hand.

The three men climbed down the stairs, turning on the light on their way. Once again they found nothing out of place in the small, barely furnished room.

"Nothing!" Callen exhaled, frustrated, passing a hand over his face "Nothing again!"

Sam moved towards the big freezer situated against the farthest wall and with a quick movement, he opened it "Gah!" he exclaimed, shaking his head "Are you sure?"

The body of a nice woman with blond hair and still wide open green eyes appeared in front of them, immersed in a bed of ice cubes. According to the color of her skin she had been in there, and probably dead, for a long time.

"Damn it!" Russel swore, looking away from the gruesome view.

"Eric, Nell, we found the real Lisa Wessler. She's dead" Callen told the two techs while checking on the corpse "Contact Hetty and update her, then alert ME and even if I don't like it, LAPD too. Call Bates first"

"On it" Nell replied promptly.

"News on that laptop Eric?" Sam wondered a bit impatiently. They were at another dead end when they needed something solid if they wanted to find Vika.

The tech didn't answer immediately, leaving the others in the dark, making them pretty anxious.

"Eric? Are you still there?" insisted Callen.

"Mmmm mmmm"

"Is it a mmmmm as in a good way or in a bad way?" Frost asked gingerly, moving his attention to his teammates.

"Eric?" the ex-Seal was really losing his patience "Come on Eric, tell us something!"

"I don't know. Most of this stuff is just crappy things or file reports about her patients. The files are pretty old, but there are a couple of them that are pretty recent. One is a map of the desert and the other one… oh no, this is not good, not good at all" the tech muttered as he was typing on his keyboard busily.

"Eric! Tell us something!" Callen was feeling a sense of dread pervading his whole body. He didn't like the way his friend was talking to himself and not sharing the information he found. That was bad.

"Eric!" both Sam and Russel yelled at unison.

"We have a problem… a big one. I'm sending something to you, this file was encrypted, I cracked it easily I have to say, too easily, as someone wanted us to find it and open it" the tech's voice was grave and low.

Three phones buzzed at the same time as the sent file reached them. The team leader was the first one to open it and read it. His blood froze the moment he finished doing it. "No, damn it! Eric, try to contact Kensi and Hetty… and hell, call LAPD too! Send them to the safe house" he instructed as he rushed up the stairs with Russel and Sam at his tail.

"I have already tried calling Kensi, but she's not picking it up" Eric told him with a certain amount of worry in his words that he was not able to hide "Trying Hetty now…"

"And Bates" Nell finished the sentence for him.

"How could we be so stupid, G?" the ex-Seal shouted as he was approaching his Challenger, running almost out of breath.

"She's good, you were right" Frost stated out of breathe "She's too damn good!"

"How did she do that?" Callen demanded, but he didn't care about the answer, he only wanted to save his friends. The words he read on the file were still stuck in his mind, as a testimony of their stupidity, of the fact that they had underestimated the evil woman. He only wished it was not already too late. He jumped on his partner's car as the words of the file resounded clear in his head.

_Hello my Federal friends, long time no see you. _

_I knew you would find this place eventually, but I will be long gone when you'll get here._

_As you well know, Marty is escaped, so change of plan… silly boy. Such a fool move but it will be even funnier now. He thought he could catch me, but I will catch him first. Why? Because I have this._

_Kensi's phone 555-7223669 – GPS code DR 21548EO 77 Yes! I know where to find them._

_Boom…ahahahah you're too late my friends, you won't be able to save them. When you'll read this message, they will probably be already dead, but I swear I'll make their deaths spectacular and of course very painful._

_What can I say? You will remember me forever…_

_Your devoted enemy Vika Gordenkova_

* * *

Kensi didn't realize she fell asleep until the moment an almost inaudible sound woke her up. She was still in bed, holding Deeks who seemed to be sleeping a bit more peacefully. She was checking on him to see if the fever was finally breaking when another noise, a little bit louder put her on alert.

Trying not to wake up her partner, she sneaked out of the bed, her weapon soon in her hand. Cautiously, she closed the door of the bedroom behind her and silently moved through the apartment. Her instinct was telling her that there was something wrong, to stay alert, but her eyes didn't see anything. Everything was at its place.

The NCIS agent walked into the bathroom, but again, no one was there and the same went for the living room and the kitchen. "You're getting a bit too paranoid, Kensi" she told herself, holstering her gun, although reluctantly, because she couldn't take off the wary sensation that someone was observing her, that someone was inside the apartment.

Kensi took a look at the clock on the wall, it was almost 11.00am but it was still a little dark outside due to the heavy rain that still was falling copiously. She passed her hands through her hair, deciding what she could do, whether to come back to bed and keep Deeks company or whether to fix herself some breakfast. Maybe she could get something to drink and then she could go back to bed, so she went to the kitchen.

She was pouring herself a glass of water when she noticed something on the floor, two little insignificant drops right under the window. All of her senses sprang into action, she was going for her gun when she felt a presence behind her.

The NCIS agent turned around just to be face to face with a dark figure backhanding her, sending her to the floor, a bit startled because of the sudden appearance.

Kensi kicked the masked figure who was launching against her and who was pushed against the counter as dishes and flatware crashed on the ground. In a second, the female agent reversed the situation pinning the figure down "Who are you?" she wondered loudly, trying to take off the sky mask the figure was using to hide the face.

A fat laugh resounded in the room "I thought you were smarter, Kensi"

For a moment Kensi was shocked and couldn't move. She knew that voice, she knew to whom it belonged to "Vika?!"

The dark figure took advantage of the agent's shock and kicked her in the stomach, getting free. With a rapid movement, the ski mask was gone, revealing a cascade of dyed blond hair and Vika's face "Hello Kensi, it's been a while" the evil woman greeted her, smiling cunningly.

"You crazy bitch!" the NCIS agent was preparing herself to attack her former friend, when a gun appeared in Vika's good hand, aiming directly at Kensi's head.

"You better watch what you're doing, Kensi dear" the blonde woman said calmly, her green eyes cold as ice "Put your gun on the floor and push it towards me"

The other woman did as she was asked while she was trying to find a way out. Her mind went to the bedroom where Deeks was still sleeping and her heartbeat skipped a beat. She didn't know what Vika had in mind, but for sure this was not a courtesy visit, she was here to finish what she started. A movement of Kensi's eyes betrayed her concern.

"Oh, you're scared but not for you though, for him"

"Leave him alone, Vika. Didn't you hurt him enough?" the NCIS agent wished she could sound convincing, but she was not sure herself, since her voice trembled a little. "You know you can't get out of here alive. You made a mistake coming here"

"Kensi, Kensi, Kensi… I didn't make any mistake, not at all, because it's time to finish what I started" Vika smiled, her lips curled into a devilish grin "And I can't leave him alone, because I am here to kill him and I'll do it right here, in front of you… and you won't be able to do anything to stop me"

Kensi felt a sudden urge of fury growing inside of her; she knew she had to do something before it could be too late. Deeks was in no shape to defend himself and she didn't know what this evil woman had in mind. Flashes of what her partner had told her danced in front of her eyes, knotting her stomach. Vika caused him all of that pain, she almost destroyed him… someone had to stop her, someone had to kill her. The agent's first instinct was to launch herself against the other woman and to strangle her with her bare hands, but then Kensi reminded that they had to prove Deeks' innocence first and Vika was the key "Don't be so sure about it" nonchalantly she leaned against the table.

"Ahahah you should have seen him Kensi, he's still so scared of me, he tries not to show it, but he's terrified. I am sure he still has nightmares about what happened at Carlsson's house. But you know what? The best part was destroying him, bit by bit, day after day… it was so fun. Too bad I don't have pictures of that day when I told him you were dead" the green eyed woman burst out laughing, enjoying every second of this situation "Can you imagine what that did to him? He was alone, he was hurt, but he was still fighting so I took from him the only thing that kept him going. You."

"I am sorry to disappoint you, then, because doing what you did, you gave him something else to fight for. Revenge" the NCIS agent's expression was hard, her eyes could send flames towards her former friend.

"Oh yes, of course… revenge. Too bad for you his heart is only filled with hate, with anger now, there's no place for love, not anymore. There's no place for you, Kensi dear" Vika paused moving a little closer to the female agent "I steal from him everything you loved about him, his gentleness, his loyalty, his caring side. His heart is hard now, made of stone"

Kensi hesitated for a moment, remembering the coldness she had seen in Deeks' eyes just few hours ago, what if Vika was right? What if he was that changed? No, it was impossible, he was still Deeks, her Deeks "Why are you doing this, Vika? Why do you hate him so much?"

"Why? Can't you see this?" Vika's voice was low and grave as she pointed out her motionless arm "He did this to me. He ruined my career with that shot, he ruined my life. I simply ruined his. It was so easy to set him up, Abbot was such an idiot, he didn't even see that coming. He thought that we were going to have some fun, until the end he didn't realize I was going to kill him. Sneaking in Marty's apartment and getting the knife was even easier, but the perfect touch was creating all those files. All those payments. No one could suspect anything and it built a very interesting background to Detective Marty Deeks, the rogue cop, the dirty one, the one who would do everything to cover his illicit traffic, especially killing another cop who was ready to arrest him. The sentence was even harder than I imagined and the fact that Abbott's brother was the Chief of the Guards in that prison just a bonus and a nice touch. I didn't even have to do a lot of job to send Marty there, in that prison. Abbott did it, the man was so obsessed with Marty that he wanted to have his personal vendetta against him. The final touch was posing as the poor and innocent Dr. Lisa Wessler. It was so nice manipulating Marty's mind, especially when he was so broken physically. I am sure he didn't tell you what happened to him in that place. I really, really enjoyed it, because he had what he deserved. That teaches him not to cross path with me"

The NCIS agent noticed a little tremble in her former friend's voice, in the hand holding the gun; she needed to take advantage of this, it could be her only opportunity. She cast another subtle glance at the door of the bedroom, hoping that Deeks won't wake up. He didn't need to see that Vika was here, not if she would find a way to neutralize her.

The other woman caught the instinctive gesture and smiled "You won't be able to protect him" with a little movement of the gun she forced Kensi to walk towards the bedroom. "Come on, let's go waking up sleeping beauty"

The agent was trying to figure a way to get out of this situation before they could reach the bedroom, but nothing came to her. She couldn't allow Vika to shoot her or the evil woman would have an open path to get Deeks, but on the other hand, she could not allow Vika to get into the bedroom "He's not here anymore, we sent him to another safe house" Kensi lied wishing the other woman could buy it, but sadly it didn't work as she expected.

"Ahahah! Nice try, but I was controlling this place for hours, I saw every movement, every person who came and went… and I saw how poor Marty was doing. I am sure he can't even stand on his own" the barrel of the gun brushed Kensi's back "Open the door!"

"No"

"Kensi, I said open the door!" ordered Vika angrily.

"And what if I don't?" the NCIS agent challenged her "Will you shoot me and ruin all of your plan?"

"Kensi, I said open the door!" insisted the blond woman, yelling and moving the gun towards Kensi's head "Or I'll shoot you where you stand"

Reluctantly, knowing that the moment she couldn't do anything else, the female agent did what her former friend ordered her to do; she was the only thing stopping her from hurting Deeks so she didn't want to run the risk to start a fight, not yet. Not until she knew he was safe. She held her breath stepping through the door, her heart was beating madly in her chest in apprehension.

"What? Where is he?" Vika shouted angrily finding the empty bed. She forced Kensi to turn and face her "I said, where is he? Where's Marty?!" there was a big dose of irritation, of disappointment and anger in her words. She was so distracted by her mixed emotions that she didn't see that coming, she didn't see the hidden figure that jumped against her, knocking her to the ground.

"Deeks!" Kensi shouted worried as she saw her partner struggling with Vika who was still dangerously holding her gun.

Adrenaline pumped into Deeks' veins, giving him strength he didn't know he had left, he even managed to deliver a couple of blows to his opponent who, sadly, in this very moment, was stronger than him and managed to push him away from her body. His back landed painfully against the bed, dazing him.

"You son of a bitch!" Vika yelled as she got up, moving towards him.

Kensi watched as the enraged woman straightened up herself and without thinking she launched herself against her former friend attempting to stop her. They rolled to the ground, fighting. The NCIS agent disarmed Vika and when she thought she was having the best on her, suddenly Kensi felt a prick on her arm and immediately after that, a burning sensation spreading through her whole body. "What… what did you…" she couldn't talk, her mouth could not move as the rest of her muscles. She was paralyzed.

Vika caught her before she could fall to the floor and deposited her against the wall "So, I thought you could enjoy this, Kensi dear. How does it feel? Your body is completely paralyzed but you can still hear me and see me… you'll be able to watch me as I'm going to kill him"

"Kensi…" Deeks murmured as he tried to get up, to stand, but in spite of all his efforts his body was uncooperative. He was so weak.

"You two are so pathetic" Vika said picking up the discarded gun. She smiled towards Kensi who was staring at her with unfocused eyes, even if deep inside her, she was feeling everything, seeing everything "Come on Marty, it's time to say goodbye to the world" with a quick movement, Vika lifted her good arm and without hesitation she pulled the trigger.

* * *

Sam was driving his car at high speed, but he knew that they were still too far away from the safe house. He was furious because Vika had tricked them once again, taking them to the farthest area away from the safe house where Kensi and Deeks were. Even if they won't find any traffic or trouble along the road, it will take them almost an hour to get there and in an hour a lot of things might happen, a lot of bad things sadly.

At his side, Callen's face was concentrated and hard, trying to hide all of the emotions that were coursing through his mind, but it was almost impossible. He was worried and scared. He knew Kensi could take care of herself, but they were talking about Vika. That woman was dangerous and unpredictable and Deeks, for what he saw lately, was in no condition to be of much help against her, physically first, but mostly mentally. The former cop was a real mess, beyond exhausted, at the end of his rope and in spite of her protests, he was Kensi worst weakness. Knowing Vika, she could take advantage of it "Eric, how long before LAPD will get to the safe house?" he asked anxiously, aware that they were still too far away.

"Fifteen-twenty minutes" the tech replied a bit discouraged, fearing for the fate of his friends.

"Damn it! It's too much!" Russel slammed his hand against the back of the passenger's seat.

"Hey, watch what you're doing, Frost!" Sam protested, irritated. He was already angry enough, he didn't need anyone messing up with his precious car.

"Sorry man, I didn't mean to do it" the other man told him, leaning against the back seat "But we're at least half an hour away from the safe house and..."

"Everything will be ok. Kensi can defend herself" Callen said, hoping to sound convincing, but he failed even to his own ears. Sadly he knew how dangerous Vika was and this time she even had the surprise factor.

"Yes, but that bloody witch is full of surprise. Do you remember what happened the last time? She almost killed him..." the ex-Seal was holding the steering wheel tightly, imagining it was Vika's neck. He had never been a vengeful person, but this time he was finding hard to contain his fury. That woman had caused a great deal of pain to his family and he couldn't accept it.

"I know Sam... I know" Callen closed his eyes, passing a hand over his tired face.

"Guys..." Nell's voice brought the three agents back on focus, away from their thoughts.

"Yeah Nell, go ahead" Sam told her, sighing "Anything new?"

"Yes, but I don't know whether this might be good news" the analyst started, hesitating though, not sure how she could deliver what she had just found out.

"Oh well, I don't think it could be worse than it is right now" Russel replied tiredly.

"Lt. Bates just sent us a message, a private one, telling us that yesterday night Warden Limpkin has been attacked outside his house. Someone beat him almost to death. He's in critical condition at the hospital, but the chances he will survive are very few"

Silence fell into the car, everybody knew what this might mean.

"Does LAPD have any lead?" Callen wondered, his hands curled into tight fists, afraid of the answer he could receive.

"No, Bates said that they suspect it has been a group of at least three, four people. There are no witnesses to the aggression" Nell reported coldly even if she was pretty concerned "He said that for now, he's keeping this under a low profile, but for sure, someone will make the connection soon" she didn't need to go on with her explanation since everyone knew of what connection she was talking about.

"Come on guys, you can't truly believe that he could have done that... you all saw him. He could barely hold himself" Eric protested vehemently.

"No, physically it was impossible that Deeks could have done anything like that, but..." Frost started but a cold glance from Sam through the rear view mirror stopped him from adding anything else.

"This is another reason why we have to get there in time and get Kensi and Deeks out of that house" Callen stated gravely, closing every argument about this matter. He was worried, things were getting more complicated, minute after minute and frankly he simply wanted to put this bad story behind his back "Come on, Sam. Push that damn accelerator and get us there. Quickly! Eric, Nell, try again to contact Kensi!" the urgency in his voice silenced everyone and the rest of their trip was spent in an awkward and uneasy silence. They only hoped to get to the safe house in time, there will be time for questioning. For now, their only goal was stop Vika and save their friends. The rest will come later.


	18. Chapter 18

It's time for a new chapter. As always thanks to whoever is still reading this! And thanks you all for the reviews and messages. I appreciate it!

I struggled with English to write some bits of this chapter, so I apologize in advance for the mistakes.

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 18

The moment after Vika pulled the trigger, pain exploded in Deeks' right shoulder as the bullet hit him, taking his breath away, while, once again, his body was pushed backwards against the bed. His vision blurred and for a minute white stars danced in front of him, blinding him.

On the other side of the room, Kensi was still, unable to move, but aware of everything happening around her. Her heart clenched at the sight of the man she loved at the mercy of the woman who swore to kill him. A lonely tear escaped from her eye, rolling along her cheek.

"How does it feel Marty?" Vika hissed moving nervously in front of Deeks' panting figure "Isn't it a nice sensation? Now, you know what you did to me… you ruined my life with that shot. Do you know how many opportunities I lost because I couldn't use my arm? Do you know how much money I had to give up because I couldn't do my job as I wanted?"

"Yeah, but this… didn't stop you from killing… everyone around you" Deeks said trying to straighten up himself. In spite of everything, he didn't want to show any fear to her, putting up his best defiant expression "Or from ruining my life"

"Oh shut up, Marty!" she shouted losing a bit of her usual composure, her green eyes narrowed, becoming cold as ice "You deserved it! You deserved every bit, every little moment… seeing you in pain was immensely satisfying, a big pleasure. Too bad it's going to end soon" she turned towards Kensi, smiling cunningly "I hope you'll enjoy the show Kensi dear, but don't worry, when I'll be finished with him, it will be your turn. See? I'm still magnanimous. You two won't be separated for too long this time" With that she moved her attention to the struggling man on the floor, aiming her gun against him and pulling the trigger again.

The bullet hit again Deeks' right arm, just above his elbow this time. He cried out in pain, unable to stop himself, feeling the bones shattering, going to pieces "You crazy bitch!" he murmured between ground teeth.

A fat laugh was the only sound that came from Vika as she tilted her head back, enjoying his suffering. Then she became serious, her voice low and dangerous "Oh come on, Marty… I didn't hurt you too much, you're whining like a baby"

The blond man closed his eyes, fighting a wave of nausea turning his stomach upside down when he tried to move. The pain in his arm was so intense that for a moment he thought he was ready to pass out, but he swallowed hard to regain control of his still shivering body "You're such a coward… always hiding behind something… poison, a gun… you know what? I think you're the scared one. I think you're the one afraid. I don't fear you, Vika… not anymore, because you're not worth it. You want to kill me? Do it… Come here and shoot me, with a bullet between my eyes. Are you afraid of doing it from a close range? Of looking at me straight in the eyes while you're pulling the trigger?" talking was taking all of his energies away, he was functioning only because of the adrenaline pumping in his veins and frankly he was not even sure that his words made sense.

"Me, afraid? You're crazy Marty… just crazy! Do you really think I can't do that? I can kill you even without this gun, just with my bare hand" Vika's expression was dark and her eyes could incinerate everything around her. With a fluid movement, she put the gun away and slowly she walked towards Deeks, with steady pace and an evil grin curving her lipsticked lips. When she was close enough she backhanded him with all of her strength "Don't you dare call me a coward again, Marty. Never!"

"What's happening, Vika? You're losing you're calmness…" he grinned, looking at her straight in the eyes.

"Shut up! I'm sick of hearing your voice!" angrily, she bent towards him, holding his throat with her hand, tightening her grip, strangling him.

Deeks was taken by surprise by her sudden gesture, at first he tried to remove her hand using his good one, but sadly she was stronger and blinded by the rage that gave her extra energy. He was starting to feel his life slipping away while his lungs burnt for the effort to find some air. His glance landed on Kensi's paralyzed form, on her glassy eyes that was staring at him, lifeless. Tears veiled his blue orbs, imagining what she was going through, knowing exactly what was happening to her.

Vika was on top of him, smiling satisfied as she watched him struggling for every breath, she increased the pressure, foretasting of victory, seeing his eyes becoming glassier and glassier. "Say your last words, Marty dear… because you're going to die" she was so excited that she didn't see his hand slowly moving under the bed, she didn't see the sharp object appearing in his hand, she didn't see it sinking in her side… she felt the pain though, searing and intense. Excruciating.

She was forced to let go the grip on Deeks who started coughing as he tried to get some air. Blood was oozing from the wound on her side, pouring from her fingers as she tried to stop the bleeding.

"How… does it feel… Vika?" muttered Deeks, still coughing, while he straightened up himself "Are you ready to die?" with a quick movement he stabbed Vika another time in her gut, twisting the metal object in his hand, releasing all of his suppressed anger in a single gesture. He had killed a lot of people during his career, it was necessary when your life, your partner's or innocent people's lives were in danger, but he never enjoyed it. This time, feeling the blade sinking into Vika's body, seeing her skin being torn apart, watching the blood pouring copiously out of the wound gave him a complete different sensation. And for the first time in his life, he felt an immense pleasure in taking someone's life. In a brief moment, the last year of his life flashed in front of his eyes, he felt all the pain, all the desperation that had took him company during the lonely days he spent in jail; his whole body ached and agony spread through every cell of his organism like he was still there... like once again he was in that cell, alone, without hope... with no way out. He looked at Vika straight in the eyes as he twisted once again the blade into her body and when for the first time he saw the fear, the panic filling her evil green eyes, a smile curved his lips.

The evil woman could only watch horrified the bloodied blade getting out of her body, firmly in the man's hand, her throat knotted, unable to talk, to say a single word. A rivulet of blood poured out of her mouth as she fell on her back to the floor, holding her midsection.

Deeks let go the blade that fell to the ground "I'm just sorry… your death will be so quick…" he whispered coldly, watching the woman who destroyed her life struggling, her green eyes wide open, her breath ragged, moaning in agony as she was falling into oblivion, as her life was slowly abandoning her body.

Fighting his own weakened body, he crawled towards Kensi. It took him ages to get to her but finally he made it. With a tender gesture he wiped away the tears that were rolling down her beautiful face, the only sign she was still alive, then he kissed her softly on her lips, guiding her towards him as he positioned beside her, leaning his back against the wall "It's over Kens… it's finally over" he told her, sweetly, while she gently stroked her hair "She won't hurt us anymore… it's over" He knew she could hear him even if she couldn't move a single muscle, so he continued talking and touching her, to comfort her but even to comfort himself. He was so tired and he only wanted to succumb to unconsciousness, but he needed to stay awake, for her.

In distance he could hear the sirens approaching and soon after a commotion exploded in the apartment as people stepped inside, talking and shouting, asking him question he was not able to answer. He was simply too tired, too weak. Someone separated him from Kensi, he fought but he couldn't do anything against it.

"It's ok, sir" a voice told him "We only want to take care of her"

"No… I… I need to stay with her… please…" he muttered feebly, trying to get up "Let me go with her… please…"

"Deeks, Deeks" another voice told him "It's ok man, she's safe"

"Sam?" he wondered confusedly "Please, I…"

"You have just to relax. Paramedics are taking care of Kensi, she's in good hands" Callen said, putting a reassuring hand on Deeks' good shoulder.

"Vika… the poison… I…" the blond man was starting to talk incoherently, overwhelmed by the emotions and by his growing weariness.

"Kensi is going to be fine and… Vika is dead. It's over" the ex-Seal told him holding his hand tightly "Now you only have to relax, these guys will take care of you too"

"Please, stay with her… don't leave her alone…" Deeks was losing his battle against consciousness, his eyes were getting heavier and heavier "It's scary… not alone… please… poison is scary…" he whispered before darkness engulfed him.

"We'll do that Deeks" Callen said, nodding even if his friend was already passed out "Sam, I… will stay with Kensi. You stay with him. Russel, I need you to take a look at this place and talk to LAPD, see what they have and what they know"

"On it" Frost replied walking away.

Sam cast a glance at Vika's motionless body, at the pool of blood beneath her "It's really over now" he murmured, sighing in relief before adding "How the hell he managed to do it is still a mystery…" he shook his head almost in disbelief.

"Desperation, vengeance… love. Those are very powerful motivations" the team leader passed a hand over his face.

"Yeah, but now, the only person who was been able to clear Deeks' position is dead" there was a hint of panic in the ex-Seal's voice, of resignation. Without Vika's statement, Deeks would be sent back to prison "You know what this means…"

"It means that she's out of the picture, that she won't be able to hurt anyone in the future" Callen paused, looking straight into his friend's eyes "It means we'll do everything to keep Deeks out of that place, even if it will mean hiding him from the police or letting him escape. We made a mistake once, Sam, we won't do another one. Not this time"

"I wish you're right, G, because this time I am not sure that they will survive it" the ex-Seal sighed heavily as he watched the paramedics take care of hsi friends "Come on, let's go to the hospital. We need to get them on their feet first"

* * *

At the hospital, Sam and Callen were joined by Hetty, Nell and Eric and now they were all waiting, sitting uncomfortably in the plastic chairs in the aseptic corridor.

They knew that their friends' conditions were not life threatening, but they all couldn't hide a good dose of normal concern. The fact that now Vika was dead, leaving them without hope of clearing Deeks' name, just added even more worry to the mix.

It was just an hour later than a doctor decided to show up to update them on Kensi's and Deeks' condition.

"Family of Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks?" a tall, black man in his early forties asked them, receiving a nod as an answer "I'm Dr. David Tanner and Dr. Walcott sent me to give you an update on Miss Blye's condition while he will finish taking care of Mr. Deeks"

"Thank you, Dr. Tanner. My name is Henrietta Lange and this is my team. What can you tell us about Miss Blye?" Hetty got up and approached the doctor, speaking calmly.

"First and most important thing, she's is going to be fine. She has been injected with a paralyzing agent but fortunately the dose was not high enough to cause too much damage to her respiratory system or to her heart. The sensibility is slowly getting back and when I left her, she was starting to move the fingers of her hands. She's responding well to external stimulation, so there's no need to worry. It's just a matter of time before she will be up and running. We gave her a mild sedative so she will rest peacefully for a little while. Not being able to move is not a comfortable sensation" Dr. Tanner explained with a firm but quiet voice, that relaxed everyone.

"How long do you think it will take her to be able to talk and to move?" Callen wondered; he wanted to talk to Kensi and hear her side of the story.

"Probably tomorrow morning she'll be good enough, but as you can imagine, every system reacts in a different way. It could take longer or maybe shorter, there's not a rule" the doctor stated, shrugging.

"Can we see her?" asked Sam a bit relieved by the news they had just received.

"Yes, we're moving her to a private room. Once she'll be settled, I'll ask a nurse to come and tell you. Now if you could excuse me…" Tanner was leaving when Hetty stopped him.

"Dr. Tanner, do you have any news on Mr. Deeks?" she said with her scrutinizing eyes that were fixing the tall man in front of her, studying him intently.

"As I said, Dr. Walcott is taking care of him, but for what I know his life is not in danger even if he's not in great shape" the doctor sustained the Operations Manager's glance steadily, without hesitation "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you more than this"

"Thank you, Dr. Tanner, we appreciate your honesty" and with that the diminutive woman returned to her chair and sat down while Tanner excused himself and left.

Fifteen minutes later they were allowed to visit Kensi. She was sleeping peacefully, while a monitor was keeping her heartbeat under control. A nasal tube had been placed in her nostrils to help her with her breathing, just to let her be more comfortable.

"I'll keep her company" Callen told his friends when everyone was satisfied to see her "I don't like her waking up alone after everything happened. You should check on Deeks… and Sam, don't leave him alone too. He might need a familiar face as well"

"Count on that" Sam nodded gravely as he walked towards the door, but before he could open it, someone did it from the outside.

"Oh sorry… I… I knew I would find you all here" Dr. Walcott said greeting them. He cast a glance at Kensi, smiling gently "She will be ok, you know that"

"Yes, Dr. Tanner explained us the situation" Hetty replied offering her hand to shake at the young man "But what can you tell us about Mr. Deeks?"

The gentle doctor sighed heavily, sign that perhaps things were not as good as they expected "It could be worse, but for sure it could be better as well. The two bullets didn't hit anything vital but they damaged severely his collarbone and broke the humerus in three positions. It will take a lot of time and a lot of physiotherapy, but if there won't be any unforeseen complications, he won't have any permanent damage and he will get back the complete functionality of the arm"

"Ok that's the good news, what's the bad news?" Nell asked furrowing his brows.

Walcott chuckled, shaking his head, "I would never be able to hide anything from you, would I?" His face became serious before he went on talking. "I am a bit concerned about his temperature. Sadly it's still dangerously high. Marty lost quite an amount of weight in the last months. He is slightly dehydrated and malnourished. This only increases the risk of infection and slows down the healing process. We're keeping him monitored to prevent any organ failure while we try to give him some nourishment via IV. But I am confident that with the right amount of rest and the proper treatment, he will be ok. We have to wait a couple of days before declaring him out of the woods. But if his body reacts to the treatments as expected, there won't be any further problems. At this point, all he needs, more than anything else, is a big dose of rest. He is beyond exhausted and frankly I don't know how he managed to keep going until now."

Silence fell into the room. Everyone wanted to sigh in relief but on the other hand they could not stop being concerned, and mostly angry, because of Deeks' condition. He was alive and he will be ok, probably, but what will this experience leave to him? What will happen if he will have to go back to jail?

Dr. Walcott understood their state of mind, their feelings because he shared them. Marty was a friend and seeing him in such poor state broke his heart, especially considering the reasons that had lead him here "You can see him if you like. He will be in ICU for the next 48 hours then if his recovery will go as expected we'll move him to a regular room. I have to warn you though, because there are a couple of Police officers standing outside his room. They said that he's in custody… at least I was able to stop them from handcuffing him to the bed"

"But they can't do that!" Eric cried out like someone had punched him in the gut.

"What? Are you kidding me?" Callen protested vehemently "What the hell are they thinking? It's not that he can get up and run away in his condition!"

"Mr. Callen, Mr. Beale, please calm down now. Mr. Callen, as you previously said, you will keep Miss Blye company while we take care of Mr. Deeks and the police. This time they will listen to me…" Hetty stated with a cold expression. She couldn't allow anyone to take one of her men to prison after everything he went through. Not again. There were signs on Mr. Deeks' body that still demanded vengeance. There was no way that she would let anyone hurt him again.

"Ok then, but please keep me posted if there is any change in his condition." The team leader took a deep breath before taking a chair and sitting next to Kensi's sleeping form.

"Please Mr. Callen, keep us updated as well regarding Miss Blye" and with that the Operations Manager walked out of the room followed by Sam, Nell and Eric. Everyone lost in thoughts, not all of them were good though.

* * *

"Lieutenant Bates, I can't say it's a pleasure to meet you," Hetty said, arriving at the ICU outside Deeks' room. Two officers were standing guard while Bates ended a phone call.

"Miss Lange, I knew you'd show up eventually. I was wondering when you'd do that" the cop replied trying to sound confident, failing miserably. In spite of his efforts, he couldn't deny the fact that the diminutive woman was pretty intimidating and that he was scared of her.

"We would like to see Mr. Deeks" the Operations Manager simply said, as it was the most natural thing to say in this situation.

"All of us" Sam added, moving a bit closer.

"You don't need to show your muscles Agent Hanna, I'm not afraid of you" Bates remarked in a snarky way.

"Oh you don't have to be afraid of him, Lieutenant. You should be scared of me" Hetty smiled while talking, but this was enough to unease the other man.

"I can allow you to see him, but only briefly. He's under arrest" Bates paused, swallowing hard, he knew he was walking on a dangerous path, he knew how protective these people might become, but he was only doing his job. He didn't believe himself that Deeks might be a threat and mostly that he had killed Abbott. He was one of the few cops that probably believed in his innocence "I don't know if you're aware that he escaped from the prison where he should still be incarcerated"

"And I don't know if you're aware that he's innocent!" Nell intervened firmly.

The cop shook his head, chuckling "Look, I know how you're feeling and trust me when I say that I never believed he could be so stupid to do such an idiocy. He's too good to behave like a fool and to leave so much evidence behind him, but sadly my hands are tied. I have orders to follow myself. We have to allow the doctors to treat him until he will be able to be sent back to The Mojave Correction Center"

"Oh bugger to that, Bates!" Hetty moved closer to the cop, pointing her finger to his chest "You saw what that place did to him! Do you think I have the slightest intention to let you, stupid retarded fools, send him back there?"

"Not to mention the fact that there must be new developments that might prove that Vika Gordenkova framed him!" Eric spoke for the first time even if the older cop intimidated him a bit.

"New developments? Why wasn't I informed?"

"Because there was no time to do that, because…" Nell wanted to go on, but she hesitated realizing that their only source was gone, vanished with Vika's death.

"Because the only person who could clear him is dead" Bates finished for her, sounding very disappointed himself.

"But we have something else. We can prove that Deeks was not on the take, that he was not a dirty cop. That everything Abbott accused him to be was created by someone else, this might be enough to re-open his case" Sam said firmly, not able to hide a hint of hope in his voice.

The lieutenant took a deep breath then cast a glance to the people in front of him "I can let you go inside and visit him, but for now, it's everything I can do"

"I need to stay with him… all the time" the ex-Seal stated with a tone that didn't leave space to any objection.

"I said that you can see him but…"

"Oh hell Bates! That crazy bitch told him that all of the people he cared about were dead, she played with his mind for eight months! He needs someone he trusts, someone he knows, someone who can remind him that everything she said was just bullshit!" this time Sam exploded, letting go all of his repressed frustration and anger "Can you imagine what it might have been for him?"

Bates remained silent, shocked by the big man's outburst. Slowly he moved towards the two officers at the door, talking to them, then he came back "One of you will be able to stay with him all the time"

Hetty nodded gravely as a little smile curved her lips "Thank you, lieutenant"

"Oh don't thank me. I wish I could have done something more, something helpful when Deeks needed it months ago" the cop admitted "We never got along very well, but he's a good cop and he didn't deserve all of this"

"Lieutenant Bates, can I ask you a question?" Nell wondered gingerly "About the private message you sent us"

"About Limpkin… yes, of course. As I said, I'm keeping the news a bit reserved for now, but between me and you, I don't think Deeks has nothing to do with it. First, it looks like something planned, something very well organized, not the desperate act of a desperate man" Bates lifted his hands in sight of defeat, knowing that none of them might like the fact that he called Deeks desperate in front of his friends "No offense… I'm just trying to explain. He wouldn't be able to do anything like that, the beating was brutal and Deeks was in no shape of doing anything like that. I don't think that he could have asked for help either. It's not his style… if you know what I mean, but this is my mere opinion that won't have any value in front of a judge"

"Lieutenant Bates, do you mind sending us everything you had about this matter? We'd like to do our own investigation" Hetty told him, nodding thankfully. She was aware that Bates was crossing some lines doing that.

"Just let me go back to the precinct and I will send everything to you" he cast a knowing glance to Sam first, then to Hetty "Go now. I think he needs some familiar faces when he's going to wake up"

The ex-Seal simply nodded gratefully, moving towards Deeks' room, followed by Nell and Eric. Hetty stood behind a little while longer.

"Miss Lange, I warmly suggest you to talk to Chief Wesley, knowing the friendship that unites you two and according to what you just told me about the new developments, maybe this time he will be able to help you and to help Deeks. Cops are not all horrible people even if you might not believe it right now" Bates told her with a smirk on his lips.

"I will follow your advice, Lieutenant Bates, but I never thought that cops are all horrible people…" the diminutive woman smirked back "Or I would have never hired Mr. Deeks" and with that she walked away, leaving a smiling Bates staring at her, shaking his head.

* * *

Kensi started coming round, she could feel it. Her body was still engulfed in an unsettling numbness, like it was surrounded by cotton. It was like floating with zero atmosphere, unable to control her movements.

She concentrated, forcing herself to take some deep breaths, finding that finally she was able to do it, sensing the air going through her throat to his lungs, filling them. She still remembered the scary moments at the safe house when she had been affected by the poison Vika had injected her with, forced to watch what was happening in that bedroom, unable to move a single muscles, unable even to blink, unable to do anything to help Deeks as Vika shot him mercilessly, not once but twice. It had been terrifying and in those instants she had understood what Deeks went through when he had been in the same situation almost a year ago at Carlsson's house, when her evil, former friend had thrown him into the pool. A cold shiver ran down her spine just thinking about it.

Fortunately this time it ended well. Vika was dead, she was not going to hurt anyone anymore. Deeks took care of her, killing her, using Hetty's infamous letter opener. A little smile curved her lips at the thought.

"Hey… glad to see you're awake and smiling" Callen told her appearing in front of her eyes, smiling back at her. He took her hand in his and Kensi was glad to feel it; she tried to squeeze it but she only managed to curl her finger a little "It's ok, Kensi. Just give yourself some time, the doctor said you're going to be fine"

She swallowed hard attempting to talk, but it was still hard and words didn't come easily "De… Deeks" she murmured almost incomprehensibly.

Callen chuckled, shaking his head "You two…" he took a deep breath before going on talking "He's going to be fine, they are keeping under observation for a little while, but Walcott said he will make it without further consequences"

Kensi closed her eyes, relieved. This was enough for her for the moment. She trusted Dr. Walcott and she trusted Callen, none of them would lie to her, not about this subject at least, because both men knew how important Deeks was to her. With a lot of effort and self-control, she managed to give her friend a little nod of approval and once again her lips curved in what looked like a happy smile, her eyes lightened up.

"You should rest" the team leader said, still holding her hand. He could only imagine what had been for her being there at the safe house watching the man she loved so much, been hurt again by a woman who caused him, who caused them, so much pain in the past "It's over Kens. She's dead, she will never come back"

A little shadow darkened her expression at the simple reference to the evil woman, to someone who once was her closest friend, to someone who almost destroyed what she cared the most in the whole world.

"Hey, you don't have to be sad… we'll fix everything" Callen didn't want to tell her friend that it was not exactly like that, that with Vika gone the chances to keep Deeks out of jail were thin; she didn't need to think about this right now. There will be time for that. He was lost in his thoughts that almost he didn't feel it, a gentle but firm squeeze in his hand. It was like Kensi was trying to get his attention, that she wanted to tell him something, something extremely important "Hey… what? Kensi, what do you want to tell me?" he asked out of curiosity and with a lot of apprehension. He leaned toward her to hear every sound coming out of her mouth.

Kensi was getting a bit agitated and at the same time frustrated because of her lack of communication skills, she needed to tell Callen. It was important… vital. "Ph… Ph…" words didn't come out and for a moment tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Calm down Kensi, whatever it is you'll tell me about it when you'll be able to talk. It doesn't do you any good struggling like this" The blue eyed man smiled at her, but his smile died on his lips when Kensi squeezed his hand, tighter than before and she pulled herself up a little. Blinded determination could be read on her face as wrinkles furrowed her forehead for the effort.

"My... pho.. ne... check... it..." she muttered feebly.

"Your phone? Why? What are you telling me Kens, I don't understand" Callen narrowed his eyes as he tried to get what she meant.

"Vika... talked... recorded..." Kensi was exhausted and sank into the pillow, emptied of all of her energy.

"Kensi... are you telling me that... that you recorded Vika while she was talking?" he asked with a hint of apprehension, of expectation.

Kensi was unable to talk, but she managed to nod slightly before her eyelids became heavy and she succumbed to tiredness.

Callen stared at her in shock, he couldn't believe it. His heart started beating madly; this could be the solution to their problems, this could be what they needed to finally clear Deeks' name. He inhaled deeply to keep his breathing under control; he took Kensi's hand in his and talked to her even if he knew she couldn't hear him "Kensi... I'm going to check your phone. You hold on for a while, ok? Don't go anywhere"

He rushed outside, looking for the rest of his team. When Kensi and Deeks had been admitted to the hospital, Nell had collected their personal effects, so his goal now was to find her and check Kensi's phone. For the first time in months he felt that lady luck was finally smiling at them. He picked up his own cell phone and dialed a familiar number "Nell, it's Callen. Wherever you are don't move, I'm coming to you"

* * *

Green eyes stared at him, coldly, full of evil, full of hatred. A voice hissed in his ears, resounding in his mind over and over. He was floating into the water, unable to move, unable to breathe, unable to talk as the tall figure towered over him, a gun in her hand ready to shoot, but she wasn't aiming at him. She was pointing the barrel of the lethal weapon to someone else.

"NO! Kensi!" he wanted to scream desperately, but words didn't come out of his mouth and he couldn't stop her. A gunshot echoed, breaking the unnatural silence and his heart exploded as a searing agony engulfed his whole body when the bullet rip through Kensi's chest and blood spread all around.

Vika's devilish laugh roared, deafening him.

"No… Kensi NO!"

Deeks woke up abruptly, panting heavily unaware of where he was, of how he got there, terrified. He blinked several times to have a better view of his surroundings. He was lying in bed in what looked like an hospital room, an IV was hooked to his left hand and there was the steady beeping sound of a heart monitor in the background. He tried to move but his right shoulder and arm protested vehemently and it was then that realization hit him.

A nightmare, it had been just a nightmare. Vika was dead, gone forever. Unconsciously he sighed in relief.

His eyes continued scanning the room and stopped on the most beautiful vision he could land his glance on. Kensi was curled in an armchair at his bedside, sleeping peacefully. Her long wavy hair fell on her shoulders and she looked so young, so innocent, with all her defenses down.

His heart melted at the sight, because this was his girl, his Kensi. She was his everything and the only reason he was still here, alive and kicking, with still a hint of sanity; she was the only reason why he didn't lose his mind in the past months.

Deeks extended his good arm to touch her, to caress her and tears formed in his eyes. He was aware that once he will be recovered he will be sent back to jail and only the idea knotted his stomach. He didn't want to be separated from her, not again. He simply wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but sadly destiny had other plans for him.

He sighed heavily trying to shake the dread feeling away, concentrating on enjoying what he had right now, on what stood right in front of him.

His hand traced the line of Kensi's face and he saw her stirring, slowly opening her gorgeous mismatched eyes "Hey" she greeted him sweetly, straightening up herself "You're awake"

"You too" Deeks smiled, his voice a bit hoarse, even at his own ears "But you were so cute while sleeping" his expression became serious and every trace of a smile disappear from his face "Are you ok?" he wondered unable to hide his concern.

She bowed her head, shaking it in disbelief, chuckling "You're incredible" she took his hand in hers "You've been out for four days and the first thing you are concerned after waking up is if I was ok" without waiting for his reply, she got up and captured his lips in a tender kiss "Is it enough of an answer?"

"I don't think I heard it very well, maybe you can repeat your answer once again" he grinned but his eyes were veiled by the sadness.

Kensi sat on the bed, in front of him "Hey, it's ok… it's over now"

Deeks retreated his hand using it as a leverage to find a more comfortable position in bed, his whole body was still sore and aching. He had to bite his tongue to fight the pain spreading from his wounded arm, but even if he didn't want to, he cried out "Hell" he swore between ground teeth.

"Hey, you ok? Do I need to call a doctor?" she asked worried, attempting to help him, but he refused, stubbornly wanting to do everything on his own.

"I'm… good" he murmured, but his expression was telling another story.

"Oh yes, I can see that! Damn it, Deeks… stop doing this! You're hurt, you've been sleeping for the past four days fighting a bloody high fever, you can barely hold yourself. Accept my help for once!" Kensi scolded him like a child but it was just her way to hide her concern. She had been scared in the past days when he didn't wake up. The doctor had told them that it was something that they could expect due to his exhaustion, to his general condition, but she had run out of patience. She wanted him back as soon as possible "You scared me. I was worried about you, don't you get it?"

Deeks' eyes darkened seeing her like this, knowing he was the cause of her discomfort "That bad?"

"Bad enough, you idiot! Your fever broke only yesterday" her voice was uncharacteristically feeble.

"I'm… sorry" he mumbled taking his gaze away from her, unable to look at her straight in the eyes "For everything"

"Deeks, you have nothing to be sorry about. You're safe now as much as I am, Vika is dead and you're here, with me… I couldn't ask for more" Kensi gave him her sweetest smile as she cupped his face losing herself into his blue eyes.

"Yeah, I'm here, but for how long? Soon they'll take me back, away from you, away from my friends" he was fighting hard to hold the tears, he didn't want to make things worse for her, for them both. The response he got from her startled him, leaving him without words, because Kensi laughed out loud and it was the happiest sound he had ever heard in ages "Kens… what…" he frowned, puzzled.

Kensi became serious, but her eyes were still shining with joy. She looked like a child who had just received her most desired Christmas' gift "It's really over, Deeks"

"Over? What…. Kensi please stop talking in code, I'm not in the mood for that and I'm sure that I'm not even up for that" he protested, still trying to figure out what she was talking about.

"No one will take you back to jail, Deeks" her heart was barely holding all of her emotions just saying those words.

"Kensi if this is a joke, please stop it immediately because I'm not so sure I'll be able to take it" Deeks shifted into a defensive mode; he truly wanted to believe what Kensi was telling him but a part of himself didn't want to be hurt again, didn't want to be disappointed. He was simply trying to protect himself.

"I'm not joking, I will never joke about something so important" Kensi took his hand once again, squeezing it tightly "That day, at the safe house, when Vika surprised me in the kitchen, I had the feeling that something bad might happen. I needed to find a way to let Vika confess what she did to you, so before she forced me to come and get you, I… I turned my phone on and recorded everything she said, every single word. She was so proud of her job that she talked and talked..." she paused watching him digesting the news, seeing the tears roll down his cheeks "She told me how she killed Abbott, how she framed you, what she did to you in jail… and I recorded everything"

Deeks felt that he couldn't breathe, the room started spinning and for a moment he thought he was going to faint, then slowly he regained the control on his body "Is it… is it really true? It's not a joke, is it?"

"Not a joke. The Court will re-open the case soon, but with her confession and with the evidence we collected lately they will only be able to absolve you, to clear you from all the accusations, to exonerate you. They will even forgive you for escaping" she hardly contained her enthusiasm for something she had waited for so long, so cupping his face she said "You'll be free, Deeks. Free"

He didn't know what to think, there was a turmoil of emotions inside of him, it was overwhelming, but in a good way this time. For the joy first he kissed her then he let her engulf him in an embrace and burying his face in her hair, he let all the unshed tears flow freely, he didn't care to sound pathetic, to whimper like a child. He cried without shame, in happiness, as he had never happened to him in his whole life.

Kensi held him tightly, feeling him trembling in her arms as he sobbed and she made soothing circles on his back to calm him, to reassure him that this was really true, that the worst chapter of his life was going to end soon and that finally they will be able to live their life together, starting back from where they left… from his couch at his apartment.

When finally he didn't have any more tears left, Kensi caressed his face, wiping away the sign of the crying with her thumbs in such a tender gesture that made him feel better instantly.

"Thank you" he simply said, two words that meant the world to him "You saved my life with that recording, Kensi… I will never thank you enough for that"

She gave him a full smile "It was a selfless gesture; saving you, I saved myself too, because if you haven't realized yet, our lives are bound together. You and I Deeks are one thing"

Deeks' throat knotted, clenched in a tight vice, unable to process all of the overwhelming feelings flooding his heart. He simply caressed Kensi's face guiding her towards him to capture her lips in a soft kiss "Have I ever told you that I love you, Kensi Marie Blye?"

"Not in the last five minutes" she smirked playfully. She had missed this, she had missed having him around, teasing him, bickering with him. The time for mourning and worrying was over, because from now on, he will be with her.

"I love you Kens" he told her sweetly, in a mellow tone, his blue eyes bright as ever.

"I love you too, Marty Deeks" she gave him a chaste kiss on his forehead.

"So, that's it… a kiss on the forehead, I thought we could do something more to celebrate" in spite of all of his efforts his eyelids was getting heavier and his whole body was starting to protest, clearly in pain.

"You need to rest, Deeks. We'll have time to celebrate. Now you have only to concentrate on your recovery" Kensi hesitated a little, feeling a bit guilty while speaking "We'll take care of the rest and this time we won't let you down, you have my word" she guided him to the mattress, his head sank heavily into the pillow.

"You never let me down, Kens… never, not for a second. I know that" his voice slurred when weariness took possession of him "You kept me alive in these months Kensi… you kept me sane. Your face, your smile, you… that was all I had…"

Kensi closed her eyes, reflecting on his words, on the deep meaning of them and her hands curled into clenched fists just thinking about what he went through "Sshhtt, don't think about it, Deeks. It's over now" seeing that he needed some comfort, she gently stroked his still long hair, watching his eyes close.

"But who… will give me those months back… what about Eddy? He's dead, Kens… he will never come back" Deeks was almost asleep, but he continued muttering and mumbling, his voice feebler and feebler "It's not easy… to forget… not over… never…"

Kensi studied his gentle features finally releasing the tension as sleep caught up with him. She couldn't take away from her mind his last words. For all of them who had lived this experience from the outside, well, maybe it was really over now that they were going to clear Deeks' name, but for him all of this will leave an indelible scar in his soul, something that he will take with him for the rest of his life. Only the future will tell how deep that scar was, for now she could only hope that her love and the affection of his friends will get him through, healing even his deepest wounds.

Giving him one last kiss, she held his hand and she went back to her place in the armchair at his bedside, sighing heavily.

* * *

And so she's dead! I can't say she didn't deserve it though ;)


	19. Chapter 19

Once again I would like to thank everyone who's still around reading this story and encouraging me. I truly appreciate it.

It's time to see how things are going after Vika's demise ;)

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 19

The news of Warden Limpkin's death didn't come as a surprise, not for the doctors who had treated him, not for the people working at Mojave Correction Center, especially not for Steven Abbott. He had visited the other man more than once at the hospital and he had seen the kind of damage that had been done to him. Abbott had thought that maybe it was better that Limpkin didn't make it because his life would have been a long, never-ending suffering. The brain damage was too extensive and it would have left Limpkin in a vegetative state for the rest of his life. In the end dying had been his best option, thought Abbott while parking his car in front of his house.

He was opening the door when he sensed a presence behind him but he was not fast enough. In a blink of an eye he found himself with his face slammed against the wall with strong hands holding him steady so he couldn't move.

"I don't have a lot of money, but you can take everything you want. My wallet is in my back pocket along with my phone" he said feeling the pressure on his back increasing.

"Wow, such a bravery!" a calm voice told him "I expected something more from you Abbott!"

Steven was taken by surprise by the fact that the man talking to him knew his name.

"Who… who are you?" he muttered while his face was pressed with increased strength against the wall "What do you want from me? How do you know my name?"

"How do we know who you are? You're a sadistic bastard, Abbott, who enjoyed seeing people suffer, especially when they couldn't defend themselves! You're just a coward!"

"I don't know what you're talking about" Abbott tried to look defiant but he couldn't deny the fact that this situation scared him.

"Oh maybe we should refresh your memory" the man holding him told him, lowering his voice "Maybe we could cuff you and beat you while you can't move… or maybe we could simply throw you in a dark cell, leaving you to rot in there"

Something clicked in Steven's mind and fear gripped his heart… Deeks. These men might be Deeks' Fed friends, what he heard about them was enough to scare him "Look… I thought he killed my brother… I thought…"

"You thought what, Abbott? To kill him? To make him pay for what he… never did? What you and your buddy Limpkin did was not only illegal or inhuman… it was a gratuitous cruelty! You didn't care about his rights, you only wanted to make him suffer, to destroy him, day after day"

"But I thought he was guilty, that he…" Abbott tried to defend himself, but this made the two men threatening him even angrier.

"Shut up, you asshole!" a well delivered punch to his kidney took his breath away and his legs buckled, but two strong arms kept him on his feet "Even if it was true, no one deserved to be treated like you treated him… no one"

"But it was Limpkin doing! I… I didn't want to…" Steven changed his tactic, he was aware that his position was not one of the best at the moment and from the tone of their voices, these two men were not inclined to believe him or understand his reasons. And since Limpkin was dead, blaming him was the only escape he could think about.

The two men burst out laughing, but it was the most terrifying sound he had ever heard.

"And do you really think that we believe you? That you hurt him, that you treated him like that, only because Limpkin ordered you to do it? Who do you think we are Abbott? We know what you did… everything, every little things you did to Deeks and soon even a Judge will know that too" the man with the calmer voice said, chilling Abbott's bones "You are going to jail, Abbott. Maybe we can even arrange for you to go to the Mojave, I think there are people in there that don't like you too much"

"No… you can't do that. I didn't do anything wrong!" protested Steven but another heavy punch prevented him from going on talking.

"Nothing wrong? You almost killed him son of a bitch! Do you have an idea of what he went through? What you put him through?" the strong man holding him slammed Steven's face against the solid wall, opening a cut on his temple "Is it nothing wrong for you depriving a man of everything… even of his dignity? You're a sick bastard Abbott and you'd deserve to go through everything you put Deeks through! Just think about it"

If few minutes ago Abbott was scared, now he was truly terrified "You can't think of… I mean I did my job, I… punishing an inmate who causes troubles is what I'm paid for. I was not…"

"You know Abbott, you're lucky" the calm man continued talking, his voice was the scariest thing Steven Abbott had ever heard in his own life.

"Lucky?"

"Yes, because we found out what you did just few days ago, if we knew what you were doing in that damn place, we'd pay you a visit much earlier" the calm voice froze Steven's blood, there was something in those words, in the way they had been spoken, that made him shiver uncontrollably. There was a silent threat behind them and he couldn't hide his fear anymore. He was almost sure that he was even going to pee in his pants.

"Look at him… he's trembling like a scared chick. You're not that brave anymore, eh? You're not that confident when you can't pick on defenseless men!" the other man added, chuckling amused.

"Please, don't hurt me… I… tell me what you want from me and I'll do everything you want, but please don't hurt me" Abbott was almost in tears "I beg you, don't hurt me, I have a family"

"And did Deeks ever beg you to stop hurting him? Did you stop when he did? Did you listen to him? Why do you think we should stop?"

"He never did… he never did" Steven couldn't control himself anymore "The little bastard never begged me"

Another well delivered punch reached Abbott's back "Don't you dare calling him names, you little piece of trash" big-strong-man whispered in the Chief of the Guards' ear, his fury was clear in his tone.

"Ok, ok… please, stop it now. Please…"

The man with the quiet voice exchanged a look with his partner, then moved closer to Abbott "You don't know how much I'd like to tell my buddy here to beat you to pulp, to smash your pig-head against this wall, but you know what? We're not like you… we're not bastards like you are. But you're going to pay for what you did and there won't be anyone to save you. You crossed a line and no matter how much you'll beg, you'll pay for that" he beckoned to his friend who delivered another blow before letting Steven go "See you in court" he patted the scared man's cheek then he disappeared, leaving a sobbing Abbott on his knees, licking his wounds.

* * *

Sam and Callen walked towards their car in silence as they tried to control their emotions. As Callen had told Abbott, he had truly wanted to punch him over and over. He still had in his mind Deeks' words as he told them what had been done to him while he was in jail.

Every word the young man had said, every detail he revealed, was a punch in the gut of the two senior agents, knowing that they had not been able to prevent him from being hurt, that they simply left him to face all of that all alone.

Deeks was not mad at them, he never said a word about being disappointed because they didn't find a way to get him out of jail sooner, but they couldn't help being upset, with themselves. They failed him… and this still hurt them.

They were almost at the car when Sam stopped abruptly, passing a hand over his face "What an asshole!" he swore, clenching his fist tightly "I… we should have taught him a lesson"

"And lowering to his scumbag level? No, never. It would have been an insult to us. An insult to Deeks" Callen stated calmly, even if there was a tornado of emotion flooding his mind.

The ex-Seal sighed, then a sad smile curved his lips "He never begged…" his voice was low and couldn't hide a hint of pride "…even if it was going to cost him that much, he never begged"

The team leader bowed his head. The more the time passed, the more details they found out about what the past months had been for their teammate and the more they were impressed by him, by his defiance, by his strength. "We tend to underestimate him, but he's strong, stronger than everyone gives him credit and he showed it to us. Not everyone would have survived this ordeal, but he did it"

"Yeah, but at what price? You saw him G. He still looks like he could go to pieces at any moment. I wonder if this experience changed him forever" Sam admitted. In spite of their differences, slowly he got attached to the shaggy detective, considering him part of the family; watching him go through all of this was heartbreaking.

"If I didn't know you so well, I'd say you missed the annoying, chatter-box named Marty Deeks" Callen tried to use a bit of humor, but his attempt failed miserably when his partner gave him a scolding gaze "I know, sorry. Of course this experience will change him, Sam. We have only to stay close to him and help him to get back in line"

The ex-Seal simply nodded, still lost in his thoughts "I still believe you shouldn't have stopped me though. Abbott deserved a bit of his medicine"

"Or we should have taken Kensi with us" the blue eyed man smirked cunningly.

"We would be planning a funeral right now if she came with us, that's for sure. She would have skinned him alive, you know how she gets when Deeks is involved" Sam couldn't suppress a chuckle at the idea, but all in all he was aware that had been better that they didn't say anything to Kensi about their little expedition.

"Yes… right" Callen was still talking when he noticed a black car passing by them at high-speed, directed towards Abbott's house. His senses immediately put him on alert "Sam" he addressed to his partner who was already un-holstering his gun.

"I saw that, G. And I have a bad feeling"

Before the two agents could move a single step, they saw four men get out of the car, shotguns in hands. The first shot resounded in the silence of the night and hit Abbott in the shoulder. The man tried to escape, offering his back to his aggressors who exploded other shots that reached him in the back.

One of the men approached his agonizing form and turned him around, spitting on him and shouting something at him that the two NCIS agents couldn't understand because they were still too far away from the house.

"Federal Agent! Stop!" Sam and Callen yelled in unison, but the four men started shooting at them, before getting back in the car, driving away.

The blue eyed team leader took note of the license plate then he moved, with his partner who was calling 911, towards Abbott still figure.

"Abbott, calm down" the ex-Seal told the wounded man "Help is on the way"

Steven was murmuring something, widening his eyes in shock. Sam leaned towards him, trying to catch what he was saying as he tried to stop the bleeding.

Few minutes later, an ambulance arrived and took Abbott to the hospital, leaving Sam and Callen waiting for the cops to show up. Going away was impossible since curios people had come out of the surrounding houses and had seen them standing there, even asking questions to them.

"This is not how it was supposed to go" Sam stated gravely, as he tried to clean his hand from Abbott's blood "Too much for some... subtlety.

"Yeah, I knowl" Callen frowned, not liking a single bit of this whole situation "But, by the way, what did Abbot say? Did he recognize his aggressors?"

His partner stared at him with a dark expression "I didn't understand much… but a word was crystal clear"

"And this word is supposed to be…?"

"Murillo. Abbott's only coherent word was Murillo" the ex-Seal said, his mind wandering "You know, G, sometimes justice has a weird way to show itself, but I can't say I'm sorry for Abbott, not at all"

The blue eyed man observed intently his friend. Sam was not a vengeful person and so wasn't he, but he shared his partner's sentiment. What happened to Abbot was not right, but the man sure deserved it after everything he did "Yeah, me neither" he patted Sam on his shoulder and stood still waiting for LAPD to show up.

* * *

The Judge had just finished reading the exoneration sentence and everyone around him was complimenting him, hugging him, patting his shoulders, but Deeks could only feel empty. He didn't know why, it was weird, because he was looking forward this moment for a long time and now he simply wanted to get out of this court and get some fresh air. Alone.

His name had been cleared, his expulsion from LAPD forgotten, eight months of his life erased like they never happened, like nothing happened at all. A tight knot formed in his stomach that turned upside down. Everyone was telling him that it was time to start a new chapter in his life, to forget about this bad story, but how could he forget about the last eight months? How could he forget about The Mojave Correction Center, about all the pain, the humiliation, the cruelty? How could he forget about Eddy? No, he simply couldn't. It was impossible to put all that aside, because every day, every hour of the past eight months had left an indelible mark on his soul, a deep scar that he will carry forever, for the rest of his entire life.

Deeks felt his head spinning and for a moment he thought he was going to be sick "Sorry, I… I need to get some air" he said to no one in particular as he rushed out of the courtroom.

Kensi saw him leave, catching a glimpse of his blond hair out of the corner of her eyes as she was hugging Nell "Deeks!" she called but he didn't stop.

"Problem?" Callen asked her, noticing her frown, her concern.

"Don't know… he, Deeks left, without saying anything" she narrowed her eyes, while moving towards the exit.

"He said he needed a bit of air" Eric shouted at his friend, but Kensi was already out of range.

"Deeks!" she called him again, running after him, but he seemed lost in another world, she could see that from the way he was carrying himself, by the way his shoulder seemed hunched under the weight of the entire world. She knew him too well, to ignore those signs; she knew him too well not to realize that something was wrong with him.

Deeks was already outside the tribunal, when finally Kensi managed to reach him and stop him.

"Hey, you left without a word" she told him, locking her mismatched eyes on his blue ones, noting the confusion in his lost expression "You ok?" she caressed his face, sensing his growing stubble under her fingers.

His right arm was still in a sling and she was aware that it was giving him nightmare, but the pain she could read into his eyes was nothing physical, it was something deeper, something worse.

"I… I don't know Kensi" he told her, taking her hand with his, kissing it gently "What, what am I supposed to do now? I… I don't know what to do"

"You're free now, Deeks, you can do whatever you want. You can go back to your life, to your work" she tried to reassure him, but she could see that it was not working.

"Life? What life, Kens? They took everything from me. I… I don't want their refund, their damn money, I don't want their excuses, their _Please we made a mistake we hope you'll be able to forgive us_… I want my life back, Kens, my old life"

Kensi was taken aback by his outburst even if she could understand him, his uncertainties "Deeks, you know that this is not entirely true, you…"

"What, Kensi? I have always been proud of being cop, of what I did. I always felt that doing my job, helping people was what I was, who I was, but now… LAPD didn't offer me a single hint of support, they dumped me like the worst of the criminals, they never gave me the benefit of doubt and you know what, Kensi? It hurt… it still hurts. So, do I still want to be a cop? I don't know. I don't really know" his voice was low, but steady, like he was talking about someone else, like he was keeping distance from what he was saying not to be hurt even more.

"So quit! Just sign up to apply as an NCIS agent… you know that we'd be happy if you did it. I don't think it would be a problem for Hetty to have all the papers ready in a blink of an eye"

"An agent? And what am I going to do? Paperwork all day? Desk job? Researches?" he protested and for the first time his voice cracked because this last statement was really affecting him.

"Deeks, I don't understand, why do you say that?" Kensi cupped his face, looking straight at him in the eyes.

"How can I even imagine to be an undercover agent when my face has been broadcasted all around the Country? Hell, Kensi… That's my job, that's what I am good at… I don't want to be anything else…" he inhaled deeply to keep his emotions at bay.

"We'll figure out something, but you have to believe it and not to give up… if you give up now, they win, do you want them to win after everything happened to you? After all the…" Kensi had to stop before going on talking because her throat became all of the sudden dry and words didn't come out easily "After all the pain you endured when you felt that there was no way out, you can't give up now that finally you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. You can't give up on yourself… or on us, I won't allow you to do that"

Deeks sensed that this was hitting hard on her too and as always he was not able to see her suffer "Come here" she guided her into a tight embrace, kissing her forehead "What did I do to deserve you?"

"Maybe we simply deserve each other" she broke the hug, kissing him on his lips "We're not perfect Deeks, but we're good to each other and… together we can figure things out, as we always do" she gave him a little smile, telling him the same words he told her when he pretended to have been fired during the Clarence Fisk case.

He remained silent, for few seconds, then he gently stroked her hair "Are you going to be mad if I'm going to take a walk on my own? I… I need to process some things and I have to admit that your presence is pretty distracting"

Kensi punched him lightly, not wanting to give him any further discomfort since she knew he was still in pain even if he will never admit it "Only if you promise me to come back to me this night… don't let me wait too long"

Smiling, Deeks gave her another tender kiss "Cross my heart and hope to die" then without adding anything else, he turned around and walked away.

She watched him leave, disappearing among the crowd and she couldn't stop the sense of void gripping her heart "I'll be waiting for you, Deeks. Always." and with that she moved back towards the courtroom and to her friends.

* * *

Deeks kept his word and came back to his apartment before dinner time only to find Kensi waiting for him, as he expected. He could see that she was worried about him, that she wanted to ask questions but that she was holding herself back not to put too much pressure on him, wanting to give him the space that he needed. He could only appreciate her effort and be thankful.

"Hey, I… I didn't prepare anything for dinner since I didn't know when you were going to come back, maybe we can order a pizza. What do you think?" she told him getting up from the couch where she was sitting with Monty watching some TV. The dog woke up too from his nap and ran towards his master, happy to see him.

Deeks knelt to play with him, caressing him and petting him "I… I am not that hungry" he replied between a kiss from Monty and another.

"Hey, you know you have to eat" she put a lot of stress on her words because she knew he really needed to eat. The doctors had managed to put him on his feet after his ordeal but he was still too thin for her taste "Doctor's orders, not mine" she saw his indecision so she went on talking "Look, I understand, Dr. Walcott warned me about the fact that you might find hard to eat with your messy stomach, but you have to try. Just think it's for the best. Maybe pizza is not the best option… do you want a sandwich or something else?"

He smiled, sweetly "No, pizza is good… but order something you like because you're going to finish eating mine as well"

Kensi approached him giving him a hand to help him to his feet "Deal" she told him encircling his waist and studying him intently "Are you ok?"

"I'm good" he replied, cutting her short, but his eyes couldn't hide the truth to her.

"You know I can read you like an open book, especially when you're this tired…"

"And you know you can stop worrying about me, I'm a big boy" Deeks told her wriggling away from her arms and walking towards the kitchen to get something to drink.

Her eyebrows lifted skeptically, but she didn't say anything; she simply stared at him.

"I still don't know Kensi… I've got this damn confusion in my mind" his hand that was holding a glass of fresh water was shaking a little, a little gesture that Kensi didn't miss, but that she decided not to point out, not wanting to embarrass him "Sometimes I would like to close my eyes, hoping that the moment I would re-open them, everything was back to normal, that all of this was just a nightmare… but then I realize that it's all true" his blue eyes were veiled with a deep sadness, there was no joy into them, not even a single bit "I look at my reflection in the mirror and I… I don't know who is that man staring at me. I don't know who I am anymore"

She attempted to move towards him, but he stopped her with a simple gesture of his good hand "Deeks, I…"

"I am scared Kensi, because I feel like I'm sinking, like I'm drowning, but I don't want to take you down with me. You don't deserve this… you don't deserve this version of me. You deserve happiness" his words were like a kick in the gut for Kensi who looked at him in shock.

"Deeks… stop, please" she didn't want him to talk like that, it scared her.

"But I don't know if I'll be able to give you what you need, what you deserve… I don't…" his voice cracked and he had to lift his head and stare at the ceiling not to cry and he really didn't want to cry, not in front of her. Not again.

"I don't want to hear you talking like this. You are everything I need, everything I have ever wanted and I've got no intention of giving up on you. Let me help you… we'll find a way to get you through this, because you're worth the waiting, you're worth every effort"

"Kensi they broke me… Vika, Abbott, Limpkin, they broke me" he slammed his fist on the table, with anger "I can't sleep in a dark room, I always hear noises that are not there, voices in my head, I feel hands touching me… hurting me and I can't do anything, not even the most idiotic things! I'm useless"

This time Kensi rushed towards him, engulfing him in a comforting embrace "They are gone, they are all gone Deeks. Vika and Limpkin are dead and Abbott won't be a threat to anyone, Murillo's men did a pretty good job, turning him into a paralyzed vegetable" she caressed his face, stroking his long hair "And they didn't break you, Deeks. You were stronger than them. You won, not them… what do I have to do to drum it into that thick head of yours?"

He observed her stubborn expression, her determination, her passion and he couldn't be prouder of her "Thanks" he simply said, leaning his forehead on hers "But sometimes it's hard to see things clearly" he whispered.

"This is why I'm here, to keep you in line, to remind you what's really important and what's not" she smiled cunningly, making circles on his chest, making him shiver "To remind you how special you are… how important you are to me" her lips captured his in what started as an innocent kiss but that slowly became a very passionate one as their desire grew second after second.

"Kensi…" he murmured getting some air "I thought you wanted to order pizza" he muttered unable to control himself anymore, especially when she started unbutton his shirt and caressing his bare chest.

"It can wait" she kissed him on the bare skin, feeling his heart beating madly every time her lips grazed his skin.

Deeks cursed the fact that he had only one functional arm while his hand started climbing up her back stopping only when he found his bra, getting rid of it with a single gesture "Why don't we… we hit the bed this time?" he mumbled as he looked for her mouth avidly.

Kensi didn't answer him, she grabbed his pants by the waistband and pulled him towards the bedroom, pushing him on the bed "I missed you" she told him positioning herself on top of him as she continued kissing him and taking his clothes off. Soon her shirt was gone too and so were her pants "I missed you so much" she repeated passionately as his gentle but firm touch sent an electrical discharge through her whole body.

"I missed you too" this were the last words he managed to say before their passion became uncontrollable and they made love as they never did, enjoying every single moment, every single kiss, every single touch or caress as it was the last. They had learnt on their skin that life could take away everything they had in a blink of an eye and they didn't want to have any regret.

Later that night, Kensi was lying in bed, observing Deeks intently; he was awake but his eyes were closed. Her fingers were tracing the lines of his still too thin chest; feeling the fresh scars under her touch, she shivered imagining that all of them will be a reminder of this experience for him. She realized that he had noticed her hesitation, that his eyes were wide open now and that he was staring at her. The dim light of the night coming through the window couldn't do nothing to hide the hurt in those blue orbs she loved so much, so instinctively, she straightened up and started kissing every one of the scars marking his body, silently and gently.

Tears rolled down his check at the tender gesture, because she was showing him how much she loved him, in spite of everything she still loved him and she didn't care if he was a damaged package. She was there with him… loving him. He caressed her face, making her stop, then lifting her chin, he kissed her "Thanks" he whispered, before adding " I love you"

"I love you too" she smiled at him, capturing once again his lips in a gentle kiss "I would only like to be able to heal all of your scars, not only these ones though, but even the ones you have here" she touched her heart, feeling his accelerated heartbeat.

His blue eyes lightened up for the first time in a long time "You are already doing it, Kens. You're the best medicine, the only one I wouldn't live without"

Kensi watched him for a while, without talking, then cuddling against his side and resting her arm on his chest, careful not to hurt him, she told him "So, are you feeling better now?"

He took a deep breath, kissing the top of her head "I still don't know what I'm going to do, but… I won't give up, Kensi. In a way or another, I want to get out of this… I want to feel good with myself, for you"

"Not for me, Deeks. You need to do it for yourself and yourself only. And whatever your decision will be, I will be here, you know it"

Deeks flashed one of his smiles, something he hadn't done in ages "Oh I like the way you were here this night"

"Cheeky" she laughed out loud "You weren't that bad yourself"

"Not bad? It didn't seem to me that I was only _Not bad_ from the way you were ehm ehm… talking. Just wait until my arm will heal and I'll show what _Not bad_ really means" he grinned, preparing himself for Kensi to hit him as she always did when he made a cheeky comment, but the punch never arrived, surprising him "What, no punch? No hurting Deeks? Really? Wow!"

"Nah, I don't want to break a pretty nice toy" and with that she moved closer, restarting from where she had left, kissing him on his chest, playfully this time, teasing him.

Cold pleasuring shivers ran along his spine and he couldn't resist her. His back arched and he let go all of his defenses "Oh I do like being a pretty nice toy. Kensi… you can play with me anytime"

* * *

The morning after waking up, Deeks found a message on his answering machine; it was from Bates who asked him to meet him at the precinct late that morning because he needed to discuss some matters with him. Saying that he was not thrilled about going back there was a great understatement and he didn't do anything to hide it.

Kensi had to work a lot on him to convince him that it was something that sooner or later he had to face, but only when she offered to accompany him, he gave up. And so here they were, sitting in the already parked car in front of the precinct.

"Are we going to spend the whole morning here in this car or are we going to get inside eventually?" she told him, giving him a scold. She could imagine that this might be hard for him, but it was something he had to do, for his and her own sanity.

"I am not sure I'm ready for this" he said turning to face her, biting his lip nervously.

"Hey, I'll be there with you" she reassured him, but it didn't work very well "You know, the Deeks I know will go in there with his head held high because he doesn't have anything to be ashamed of. The Deeks I know will make those idiots feel like scolded children. The Deeks I know will be proud of himself"

"The Deeks you know sounds a great guy, but I don't know where he is right now"

"Ok, now you get your ass out of this car and you go in there, without giving a damn about anyone or anything, because if someone was at fault it would be them, if someone should be ashamed it would be them, if someone should apologize and make up for everything would be them! And don't try to say anything rather than yes!" she was mad, but not at him. She was mad at the situation, at the reasons why he was so unsure, why he was behaving like a scared puppy.

"Wow" Deeks simply said, smiling "You're pretty convincing"

"That was my goal"

"Well, it worked. Thanks" he leaned towards her, planting a gentle kiss on her lips "Ready to go and face the lion's den?"

"Just say the word" she squeezed his hand and got ready to get out of the car.

Deeks took a deep breath, then closing his eyes, he added "So let's do it"

The moment he walked through the door of the precinct, he felt his heart beating madly. He was nervous, it was clear but he tried to keep himself together. Not ashamed, not ashamed, not at fault, not at fault he repeated over and over in his mind like a mantra to give himself some strength.

Passing by the information desk, Kensi noticed how sweaty his forehead was, how his hand was shaking so she took it in hers, to reassure him "Hey, it's ok" she nodded calmly.

"Yeah…" he murmured crossing path with a couple of officers in uniform. He was ready to bow his head and to look away from them, when they anticipated his move and lowered their glances, clearly ashamed. A little smile curled his lips, maybe Kensi was right, maybe he didn't have nothing to worry about this.

He was almost in front of Bates' office when a man in his fifties approached him, tentatively as he was walking on the eggs.

"Deeks" the man greeted the blond man with a feeble smile.

"Williams" Deeks nodded unsure of his next move. He didn't expect anyone to approach him and he didn't know how this could end.

"Look, I… I only wanted to tell you that… oh well, I… oh heck, Deeks!" snapped Williams, pretty vexed "I'm really sorry for what happened to you, we are all sorry. You know, you and I never got along that well, but you… you didn't deserve it. There are a lot of people here who think the same" it was clear that the man was embarrassed, but he sounded honest and his excuses genuine. He extended his arm offering his hand to shake.

Deeks looked at the older cop and at his hand, then after few minutes of hesitation he grabbed it and shook it "Thanks" he simply said.

"Good… I, I better go back to my work, you know how things are here" Williams smiled at him and at Kensi and then started walking away, his shoulder a bit more relaxed. He stopped abruptly though, turning around to face Deeks "We… we didn't know what Ross and Morales did to you, believe me if you can. Even if we thought you were guilty, it wasn't right doing what they did" this time, without waiting for a reply from the younger man, he headed back to his job.

"Well, it didn't go that bad" Kensi stated, leaning a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, not bad" Deeks murmured, still not sure of what had just happened. "I better go talk to Bates now. Do you think you'll be able to stay here without getting in trouble?"

"Shut up, Deeks" she was glad to see a bit of his humor coming back and mostly to see that the tension was slowly leaving his body "And go. You know I can take care of myself"

"Indeed… you're not the one I'm worried about though" he winked cunningly, then knocked at the door of Bates' office.

"Come in" the lieutenant said from the inside.

"Wish me luck" Deeks told Kensi in a more playful tone than she had ever expected him to use in this situation.

"Just go!"

Deeks inhaled deeply, then he opened the door and stepped inside.


	20. Chapter 20

New chapter is up!

Sorry it's a little shorter than the previous ones, but thanks to Xwing12 it will be easier to read ;)

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 20

"Nice of you to show up on time, Deeks." Bates greeted him with the usual uncaring tone in his voice. "Sit down."

"Good morning to you, Lieutenant Bates," Deeks said, shaking his head whilst smiling. Some things will never change. "I heard you wanted to talk to me."

The older cop stared at the man in front of him, studying him intently. Deeks was still wearing the long hair he had when he escaped from prison, but at least the bushy beard was gone substituted by his usual two days stubble. He still looked sick and it wasn't only the arm entrapped in the sling to give him that appearance, but the hollow cheeks, the pale complexion, so different from his usual tanned surfer skin; the way his eyes lacked the usual witty spark; the fact that he was by far still too thin. All in all, after everything that had happened to him, this was expected; what Bates wasn't ready for though was Deeks' quietness. "Oh and what do you expect from a man who spent eight months in hell?" Bates asked himself, moving a hand under his chin, as he was reflecting on something important.

"How are you doing, Deeks?" he finally asked loudly.

The blond man narrowed his eyes, puzzled by the weird behavior of his usual gruff boss "Wait, for a moment I thought you were concerned about my well-being," he remarked ironically.

"Shut up Deeks, don't use the smart mouth of yours with me! You know it doesn't work!" The lieutenant leaned against the back of his chair, throwing the pen he was holding onto the desk.

"And you, don't use pity with me," Deeks' voice was low now and extremely serious. "But answering your question, I'm good."

"I can see that," Bates took the blow smiling. The way Deeks could turn a hand in his favor with just a few words had always been something he was fascinated with. It was a gift that the blond man had always used best during his assignments. Not to mention it had saved his ass more than once.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

Bates didn't say anything but simply opened a drawer and took out two objects that he placed on the desk right in front of Deeks, taking him a bit by surprise. "I wanted to give you these."

The young man's throat knotted at the sight of his badge and his gun. Unconsciously and mechanically, he moved his hand to touch them so carefully like he was afraid that they could burn him. He caressed the gun then picked up the badge and opened it. His surprise grew and became even bigger when he realized that it was not a new one, but his own, the one he had carried until that fatal morning when he was arrested in his apartment. "I… how…"

"I never thought I'd see the day where Marty Deeks was speechless," the lieutenant smirked teasingly.

"How? I thought that they had… that my badge didn't exist anymore," Deeks muttered, still pretty shocked.

"Oh they wanted to destroy it. But between your Hetty Lange and myself, we managed to save it for you," Bates told him, with a hint of pride or was it satisfaction? "You're back on board. Whenever you are physically cleared. And the Chief of the Police said that you're going to receive back payments… for the past months. I know it's not much to… repay you but…"

The blond cop almost didn't hear what the lieutenant was telling him. He was still fixing his badge, fascinated by it. It was a strange feeling holding it after so long. But even if it felt good, he knew that something was different, that something was missing.

"Deeks, are you with me?" Bates wondered, noticing the lost expression of the younger man sitting in front of him. "Have you heard a word I said?"

Deeks lifted his head, his blue eyes filled with confusion. "What?..."

Bates furrowed his brows puzzled. He had never seen Deeks so absent; so silent and mostly so distracted. "I said that you can go back to work when you're well enough and that Chief Wesley granted you back payments."

The younger man chuckled, "Back payments? Is that the way LAPD is going to make up with me? Ok let's give him some money and forget about everything," he said bitterly.

"Deeks, it's not like that…"

"No? Really? Because this is what it looks like to me," Deeks' expression hardened, but his eyes couldn't hide his sorrow. "Do you really think that some money would give me back what I missed in the last nine months? LAPD abandoned me… I felt betrayed by something I always believed in blindly. No one, not even for a brief second, defended me or gave me the benefit of doubt. You didn't see the look I got when they brought me here… I was a murderer, period. Everything I did until that day was nothing, forgotten completely… erased. And that was exactly how I felt, erased. Do you have the slightest idea how I felt? It hurt, Bates. It hurt a lot and it still hurts."

"Look, I know you have all the reasons to be mad and trust me, I wouldn't be so calm if I was in your shoes," Bates started, honestly meaning what he was saying. "I'm just telling you what the Chief told me. It doesn't mean that I agree with him!"

The young cop frowned, surprised by the lieutenant's words, something he really never expected.

"And why the hell are you so surprised? I'm not an idiot, Deeks. Even if sometimes I have my doubts, you're not an idiot either. You're a pain in the ass, always has been. But you're a damn good cop and for what it counts right now, after everything, I never believed you killed that son of a bitch, Abbott… because let's face it, he was an asshole." Bates flashed a cunning grin and Deeks couldn't suppress a chuckle.

"Yeah, he was… but he didn't deserve to end like that," the blond detective admitted, sighing.

"LAPD didn't do anything right with you. I admit it, and I can understand your doubts if you're thinking to quitting. But I would like you to give it a long hard think before you make your final decision. NCIS is your home and they always supported you. But there must be a reason why you haven't yet signed the application your little Ninja boss gave you."

Deeks lifted his eyebrows, skeptically. "You knew about that?"

"As I said, I am not an idiot," Bates stated firmly. "Take this badge, Deeks, and go home. Spend your time with your partner; have fun. Then when your mind is clear, come back and tell me what you have decided. I'll be good with that. If you choose to stay with us, nothing will change for you or for me. If you choose NCIS, well… I'll be finally free from a major pain in the ass and I'm not talking about you."

"I'll be sure to tell Hetty what you think about her," the blond cop smiled, still a bit shocked by the unexpected support from the lieutenant. He was getting up and moving to the door, when he stopped abruptly. "Do you really think I'm a good cop?" he asked, but it was not a rhetorical question, it was something he truly needed to know.

"It's hard to admit it, but yes. You are," Bates nodded trying to read what was in the other man's mind.

"Do you think that… that I could do a good job even without going undercover?" insisted Deeks, his voice nothing more than a whisper.

The lieutenant suddenly realized where Deeks was going with his questions. Thanks to the exposition to the media about this whole mess, his face had been splashed repeatedly across the front page of newspapers and TV News. His career as an undercover agent might possibly be over. The man had doubts and needed reassurance. "As I said, you're a good cop and a good detective. I can't see any reason why you can't do your job well, even without going undercover. Trust me, I'm not one for compliments, but you're damn good in my opinion."

The young man felt a wave of pride flowing inside of him. He never imagined Bates having such a high consideration of him and of his job… and it felt good. "Thanks, I… appreciate it."

"Don't you dare repeat any word to anyone though… or you're dead," the lieutenant told him, standing up himself.

"I am not sure it will be in your best interest, hurting me… Kensi can be very protective and you know how she is when she gets mad," Deeks winked cunningly. Even Bates couldn't suppress a smile.

The older cop approached him offering his hand to shake. "I'm sure you'll decide wisely."

Hesitantly Deeks took the offered hand and shook it, finding it a comforting and understanding gesture "Thanks," he repeated.

Bates locked his eyes on the younger man, nodding "You're welcome. Now… out of here!" he ordered bossily, just not to lose his usual attitude completely.

"Yes sir," Deeks told him, before turning on his heels and walking out of the room. A pleased smile curving his lips.

* * *

Kensi couldn't help herself and checked her watch for the umpteenth time. She didn't want to be concerned, to be nervous, but she didn't like the fact that Deeks was alone with Bates in his office. Not knowing what was happening inside; not knowing what was the subject of their conversation. She suspected that the lieutenant wanted to talk with her partner about his situation with LAPD after all the accusations against him had been declared false. But where Bates was involved, she was never sure. She couldn't figure out if the older cop liked Deeks or not, or what he truly thought about the most successful undercover detective of the entire precinct and she simply hated this. She hated the fact that she was not able to read Bates as she wanted and this unsettled her.

She poured herself a glass of water from the automatic dispenser and locked her gaze on the lieutenant's office door, desperately waiting for it to open.

The NCIS agent checked another time the watch. Twenty minutes. Too long.

She took another sip of fresh water when finally the door opened and Deeks stepped through it. Kensi was surprised to see the peaceful expression planted on her partner's face. She couldn't deny the fact that seeing him like that made her happy. "Hey," she said walking towards him, hesitantly.

"Hey," he replied, smiling, guiding her towards him and kissing her on the top of her head, before looking at her with a serene expression she hadn't seen in ages on his face.

"How did it go? What did Bates want?" she asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

With a fluid movement, Deeks took out his badge from the back pocket of his jeans "Detective Deeks at your service, ma'am," he joked.

A big smile brightened her whole face, but she was still a bit hesitant seeing the little shadow darkening his blue eyes "And is this a good thing… or a bad one?"

He shrugged, inhaling deeply. "I don't know… it's something. And the Chief of the Police even allowed me to get back payments." This time he couldn't hide a big dose of sarcasm.

"Oh Deeks…" she took his hand, making slow circles on its back with her thumb "I… I'm sorry…"

"It's ok" he simply said, bowing his head.

"Are you ok?"

"I… I think so. I'm scared to admit that talking to Bates was surprisingly interesting," he told her while his lips curved into a kind grin.

"Bates? Interesting? Are you sure you're… ok? Never thought those two words could get along well in the same sentence!" Kensi narrowed her eyes, tilting her head to one side, trying to figure out whether he was joking or he was serious.

"You know what, it doesn't matter," he guided her to him, closer this time, encircling her waist with his good arm. "Now I only want to get out of here and spend some time with you, away from everything and from everyone."

"Mmmmm, I like the sound of that," her lips looked for his and soon as they found them, she kissed him. When they broke apart their foreheads touched and they looked at each other's eyes "Are you really ok?"

He waited few seconds before answering, confirming her suspicion that something was still bothering him, but then he told her, "I will be,"

His words were so calm, so relaxed that in spite of everything, she felt relieved and she released a good dose of the tension gripping her body. "Promise me," she replied.

"You have my word," his whole face relaxed and his eyes sparkled. "Now, why don't we go to your favorite bistro at the beach where you can get anything you're craving for?"Before she could say anything, he added ironically "It's on LAPD… with all the money they owe me."

Kensi could read a hint of bitterness in his words, but his smile was too bright and she didn't want to ruin the moment bringing up a delicate subject. "What are we waiting for?"

They were walking along the corridor when two officers in uniform who were talking animatedly, without looking in front of them, almost crashed into them. When they realized who the two officers were, both Kensi and Deeks froze. She stared at his partner, immediately, as she wanted to check on him, to control his reaction.

Deeks' face was hard as a stone as he stared at the two men, his eyes cold as ice.

"Deeks," former detective Morgan Ross said unable to sustain his glance.

"Get out of my way," the blond detective said, cut him shortly.

"Look man, we're sorry," Jimmy Morales told him, smiling faintly.

"I said get out of my way," Deeks repeated firmly.

Kensi noticing her partner's growing anger grabbed him by his good arms and tried to take him away from here, sensing that things might get ugly, very soon. "Come on Deeks, let's get out of this place." But he resisted standing still on his feet.

"Look, chica, we said we're sorry," Morales continued talking to Kensi, then moving his attention to the blond cop, he said, "We didn't know, Deeks… We thought that you killed Wade. We made a mistake."

"And we paid for that mistake. Thanks to your NCIS boss' intervention, we've been sent to street patrol like some whippersnapper who had just come out of Academy!" There was a presumptuous and arrogant tone in his voice that made Deeks' blood boil, making him explode.

"You paid for that? You son of a bitch!" losing completely every kind of control, Deeks punched Ross hitting his jaw, sending him to the floor.

"Deeks!" Kensi shouted alarmed, stopping Morales from intervening. "Don't move!" she ordered. "Or I swear to God that the little kick I gave you the last time was nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you right now!"

"You paid for that?" Deeks repeated towering Ross who was still on the ground holding his sore jaw "Do you even listen to what you're saying?"

The frenzied yells attired a lot of audience, but no one moved a single muscle or tried to intervene. They simply stared at the entire scene.

"You're just a piece of trash, Ross… you and your buddy here did what you did not by mistake. Are you sure that cuffing me to the bars of a cell and letting Steven Abbott beat me was a simple mistake? Or… coming to me every night just to have some fun… a mistake, again?" Deeks' voice was low and full of venom. "You're not that smart as a detective if you did so many mistakes."

The crowd of cops gathered around them couldn't suppress a whimper, hearing what the blond man was saying, they started to look at Ross and Morales with disgust.

"But Deeks… we… didn't know that… we…" Ross tried to excuse himself babbling, shivering unconsciously.

"SHUT UP!" yelled Deeks in a way Kensi had heard him doing only once, when he was undercover as Max Gentry and this sent cold shivers down her back. "You don't even know what being punished means... You said you paid for what you did. I say you're lucky you're still around... that you still have a job, because, trust me, I have this inner voice inside my head telling me to press charge against you."

"Oh come on Deeks, are you going to do this to two fellow cops?" Morales said before Kensi froze him with a simple glare.

"Why should I stop? Weren't you the one who beat the crap out of a fellow cop just for... fun? Weren't you the man who wanted to take my spot at NCIS and work with my partner?"

Kensi's eyes widened in shock hearing those words and her fury grew even more. She didn't know all of these details. Once again, she couldn't stop thinking that Deeks never told her about it because, as always, he wanted to protect her, mostly from herself. He knew she could go all crazy looking for her personal vendetta, doing something she might regret.

"So... don't you have anything to say anymore?" Deeks started circling Ross, staring at him with increasing anger as flashbacks of all the nights spent in the precinct detention area came back to his mind. "You're not so mouthy anymore now that there are no bars between us... Now that I'm not that bastard that killed your friend. You know, you're disgusting. You're not worth my time".

He was walking away when Ross called him back.

"I never liked you Deeks and this is the reason, because you can't finish what you've started. You're a coward that doesn't have the courage to press charges against us, because you know that you can't prove anything," Ross said, getting up. "You might not be a killer, but you're just a spoiled brat who thinks you are better than all of us just because you work with the Feds, and because your partner is such a hottie..." He couldn't finish, because Deeks launched against him delivering a series of heavy punches, to his face then to his stomach.

Morales wanted to help his friend, but Kensi grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back "I wouldn't move a finger if I was in you," she told him grinning.

"Get the hell off me, you little bitch!" the Hispanic tried to get rid of the NCIS agent's tight grip in vain. He turned his attention to the people surrounding him "And you... what are you looking at? Can't you see it? He's beating a cop... you have to stop him!"

No one moved though. Everyone simply observed the scene, in silence.

Deeks delivered a kick to Ross' stomach then stopped. "I hope you like the way I finished this this time..." he ground his teeth while talking, "... I may be a coward, but I can get out of this place holding my head up high. I'm not so sure you and your friend can do the same," he gave a little slap across Ross' face and then turned on his heels. He headed to the exit while Kensi followed him immediately.

None of them expected what happened next. One after another, all the people who had gathered around them started clapping their hands, applauding Deeks who stopped walking as a warm feeling pervaded his entire body. Kensi smiled at him, her eyes glittering with pride.

"See? You won Deeks... You won," she whispered to him, taking his hand in hers.

He didn't know what to say, but surprisingly he felt good. Finally reconciled with the idea he had of the Police and of being a cop. It wasn't the applause or the pats on his shoulder or the smiles. It was the fact that in that moment, he didn't feel abandoned or alone. Sighing deeply, he took Kensi's hand and proudly, he walked out of the precinct.


	21. Chapter 21

As always, a big thank you to everyone who spent time to read, review and follow this story.

New chapter is up. Thanks to Xwing12 for the hard job, correcting all my mistakes! The one you can still find are mine and mine only ;)

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 21

Deeks was home alone that night., He was waiting for Kensi to join him since she had to go back to work after their little trip at the precinct. Deeks went on to the hospital for a check-up. He was relaxing on the couch after a tiring day. What happened at the precinct had been an up and down of emotions that almost wore him out. He was simply exhausted and the visit to the hospital to be checked up didn't help at all. At least Dr. Walcott told him that he was doing better and that, in spite of the pain he was still getting, his arm was healing quicker than he had expected. In a couple of weeks he would even be able to start some light physiotherapy.

Deeks was lying on his couch with Monty, literally sleeping on him, using him as a pillow. In his hand there was his badge. He was still debating about what to do with his future. What happened with Ross and Morales, the reaction of the other cops, even Bates' support had warmed his heart. But still, he felt like something had changed. It was like something had broken inside of him and he wasn't sure whether he wanted to repair it or not. It was a strange sensation, because even if he felt at home with NCIS, being a cop defined who and what he was. The idea of moving on, taking a step forward, scared him. What if he will never be good enough for the team?

In the past years, he had seen the changes in behavior towards him., Sam and Callen, especially, didn't see him as just a clown or a funny guy to have around. He wasn't just a liability, not anymore. They started to see beyond the joker face, seeing the man behind it, seeing the good cop hiding behind the cheeky smiles and the awkward jokes. But now… after all of this mess, everything had changed again. Undercover jobs would probably be off-limits for him, so what would he be able to do to help the team? He didn't want to be a burden or someone that could put their lives in danger.

He put the badge down, passing his hand over his face and then through his long hair.

"It's time to get a haircut, buddy," he told himself.

Deeks didn't know why he hadn't done that yet. Maybe keeping his hair that long was just a reminder of whatever happened to him. A reminder of the worst experience of his entire life. It was just his way of not forgetting. Maybe it was time to move on with his life. To start living again and to do that, he needed to decide what he truly wanted to do. But how? It wasn't an easy decision. It was his life, his future he was talking about. What could he do? His forearm moved to cover his eyes as he felt his loyal companion struggling on his chest. Monty had sensed his master's discomfort.

"So, what do you think buddy? What do you think I have to do?"

A pair of big brown eyes locked on Deeks' blue ones as Monty tilted his head, sticking out his tongue, getting ready to lick his master's face.

"Yeah, I got it…" sighing, the cop scratched the spot behind his dog's ears, knowing that Monty simply loved it. The pleasured moans his mutt gave him in return were so enjoyable.

He was still lost in his thoughts when someone knocked at the door. Deeks jumped on his feet, imagining it was Kensi who had finally arrived. He couldn't deny the fact that he was happy to see her. She had become such an important part of his life and just the idea of being separated from her, even for just a short period of time, hurt him deeply. He still remembered the sense of loss, the void he felt when Vika had told him that Kensi was dead, that she was gone forever. That day his heart went to pieces. That day, he thought, he was going to die as well.

Deeks opened the door without even looking, so his surprise was enormous when he didn't see Kensi's beautiful face. Instead, standing in front him was a young boy, a teenager. He didn't need to ask who the boy was. The resemblance was simply stunning.

"You're… Julio, right?" he wondered feebly, a wave of guilt engulfed him and he had to bow his head unable to hold the boy's glance.

Julio Montero nodded, "Yes and you're Marty… the cop, aren't you?" His voice was steady and firm and he looked much older and more mature than his fifteen years. He had the face of someone who had seen already too much in his life.

Yeah… Marty, Marty Deeks," Deeks said a bit embarrassed. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Uncle Ignacio found you," the boy simply said, his expression stoic.

"Please, come in." The cop stepped aside allowing the boy in. "Can I get you something? Coke… soda…?"

There was an awkward moment in which no one knew what to say or what to do, until Julio broke the silence.

"Eddy always talked about you. He said you were his friend. His only friend."

Deeks felt the tears forming in his eyes, the memory of Eddy's bloodied and lifeless body was still haunting his nights. The pain still too intense.

"He was my only friend too. He… he kept me sane. He showed me that even in a place like that, there was space for humanity," he paused, almost unable to go on talking because of his tightly knotted throat. "I'm… I'm sorry, really. It was my fault, just my fault. I can imagine that you will never forgive me, that you hate me… I tried to warn him, I told him that I was bad news, that I was not good for him…"

"Thank you," Julio simply said, shocking the other man.

"What? I don't understand… I thought that you…"

"Eddy told me that you warned him about being your friend. But my brother was very stubborn when he had something in mind. He said you were a great guy. That you helped him against some bullies and that you've been punished for that. He was touched," the boy had tears in his eyes. "No one ever stood for him, for us. What you gave him in those few months was much more than he ever had in his whole life. He was always happy when he talked about you and he was proud to be your friend. I have too much respect for my brother to think something differently. I cannot hate you."

Julio's words touched Deeks deeply; he wanted to tell him something, that he didn't deserve his gratitude, but words didn't come out of his mouth. They simply died in his throat.

"My uncle Ignacio told me what you did when you found out about Eddy's death and what the guards did to you because of that. It was the bravest thing I have ever heard. You knew it was going to cost you a lot, but you did it, for my brother, for a Mexican boy no one ever considered. I will never forget it. Never… And I am the one who is sorry for everything you went through. You didn't deserve it as much as my brother didn't deserve to die," Julio's voice cracked a little thinking about his brother. The love he felt for him was so evident, so clear in every gesture, in every word, in the way his eyes shone every time Eddy's name was brought into the conversation. "They can't harm anyone anymore though. Uncle Ignacio took care of them."

Deeks nodded, he had always known that Murillo was behind Limpkin's death and Abbott's assault. He knew that the man was dangerous and that this time he even had personal reasons. Murillo was not going to stop until all the people responsible for his nephew's death paid for what they had done. Deeks, himself, couldn't deny the fact that when he heard about what happened to the Warden first and to the Chief of the Guards of the Mojave Correction Center later, he felt relieved. Limpkin and Abbott caused him a lot of pain. A lot of suffering. They put him through hell, just for fun or for revenge. He knew it was not right to enjoy other people's suffering, but after everything he went through, after everything had been done to him, there was not a big amount of space for compassion in his heart. Not anymore. Especially not for someone like Limpkin and Abbott

"Yeah, he did it."

Julio observed the other man, seeing the struggle in those stormy blue eyes, sensing the turmoil of emotions going through his soul.

"You don't have to feel guilty. It wasn't your fault. You didn't kill my brother."

Once again Deeks was deeply touched by the boy's words and this time holding the tears was harder.

"You know, he told me a lot of things about you, about how smart you are; how well you're doing at school; how really good you are. Eddy was so proud of you. Really. The day he… the day he was killed, he was going to meet you and he was going to ask you a favor for me. They killed him because he was going to help me to deliver a message to my friends because they didn't allow me to have visitors. If I didn't accept his offer, maybe he would be… he would be alive."

"Did you not hear a word I said? When Eddy had something in mind, nothing could stop him. You wouldn't have been able to change his mind… and he offered his help. You didn't ask for it. You didn't do anything wrong. So don't consume yourself for something you couldn't do anything about!"

"Thank you," Deeks murmured before Julio walked closer to him and gave him a hug.

"No, thanks to you. I'm glad Eddy found someone like you in that place. At least he was not alone and his last days were filled with respect and friendship. He never had that in his life."

Deeks felt a heavy burden being taken away from his shoulders. He was not sure he would be able to forgive himself for Eddy's death, but Julio's compassion and understanding were going to help him accept it, at least.

"Look, I know that… that maybe you don't want to accept my help, but I'm going to get some money as compensation for the time I spent in jail, if… if you don't want to use it for yourself, to help you with school, I can understand, but can you please take it and do something to honor your brother's memory? Whatever you feel right… Something like a recreational center for kids in your neighborhood… Whatever you feel Eddy would be happy with. I don't want that damn money, but maybe it will be useful for someone who truly needs it."

Julio stared at him and this time his façade fell into pieces. Tears started flowing, rolling down his cheeks.

"I… I don't know if I can accept. I…"

"Please, do it. I know that it won't bring your brother's back, but it's the least I can do… and don't forget that. If you ever need help for everything, you know where to come." Deeks locked his blue eyes on Julio's dark ones, but he didn't expect the reaction of the stoic teenager who threw himself into the cop's arms, embracing him.

"Thank you, Marty. Thank you so much."

The cop hugged Julio back, overwhelmed by the emotions coursing through his body.

"Anytime, Julio," he only managed to say.

"I miss him… I miss him so much," the boy sobbed burying his face in Deeks' chest, finally free to show his inner feelings, not forced to put up a wall to hide his sorrow.

"I know, but you have to keep all the good moments you had with him… here in your heart and treasure every one of them. Honor his memory. He was proud of you and this will never change, because your brother loved you and again, no one will take this away from you," the cop whispered gently, swallowing hard not to cry himself.

A few minutes later, Julio straightened up himself, breaking away from Deeks' comforting embrace. With a nearly ashamed gesture, he wiped away his tears.

"I better go now, my… my mum is waiting for me. She wanted to thank you as well, but it's hard for her."

"Just take care of her. She will need you, but I'm sure that you will be fine," the cop ruffled Julio's hair, with brotherly affection. He moved toward his desk and picked up a business card. "Call me, even if you don't need anything specifically… if you just want to talk to someone or if you want to get out for a drink… an ice cream. Whatever… I'll be here."

"Thank you again, Marty," the boy nodded thankfully. "I hope you'll get well soon. I heard what happened to you and I'm glad that you can go back to your life. Here this is for you," he gave a little envelope to the other man, then walked away.

When he was outside, Julio found himself face to face with Kensi who had just arrived and who stared at him in surprise. She saw him got out Deeks' apartment with a tear-stained face and her senses screamed at her in alert "Hey, you ok?" she asked worried by the boy's behavior.

"Yeah… are you… are you Marty's girlfriend?" Julio asked, once again wiping away the remains of his tears.

"And who wants to know that?" she studied the boy. There was something familiar in him. He reminded her of someone, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

"My name is Julio Montero. My brother, Eddy, was Marty's friend."

Kensi immediately understood, remembering who this boy reminded her of. She had seen some pictures of Eduardo Montero after Deeks told her about him and she couldn't deny the fact that the resemblance between the two brothers was simply astonishing. "I'm sorry for your loss. I'm Kensi, Marty's partner…" Seeing the boy lift his brow skeptically, she added, "…and yes, I'm his girlfriend." It sounded so weird to say it out loud. It was the first time she had ever dared to say it and all in all, it didn't sound too bad. She smiled to herself, pleased.

"He's a good guy, who did a lot for my brother," Julio paused, giving a kind smile to her. "Keep a close eye on him. He's putting up a brave face, but it's clear that he's still hurting. Eddy told me what they did to him in that place and he told me that he didn't know how Marty was able to survive all of that. I don't know how much he told you, but trust me. It was bad… it was really bad. Getting over that bad experience and all that evilness, won't be easy."

Kensi was touched by the affection of the boy, proud of how Deeks was able to do something good even in a place like The Mojave Correction Center, doing what he was very good at, connecting with people even in the worst situations, "I will, you have my word."

"Good. I better go now. It's been a pleasure to meet you," and with that Julio turned on his heels, put his hands in his pocket and left under Kensi's scrutinizing eyes.

* * *

She walked towards Deeks' apartment as Julio's words echoed in her mind. She knew that her partner was far from ok, but she was determined to help him get better, no matter how hard it was going to be. She won't give up on him, the thought had never touched her mind.

Kensi stepped through the unlocked door, signaling her presence. "Deeks, it's me," she greeted him as she walked into his living room.

"Hey, you're here," he replied getting up from the couch where he was sitting holding something in his hand that he let go of the moment he saw her. He moved towards her, circling her waist and planting a kiss on her lips, "I missed you."

She bowed her head, still not used to all of this"I had an interesting encounter outside."

"Julio?" wondered Deeks.

"Yes, he seemed pretty concerned about you. He told me to keep an eye on you," she took his hand in hers. "I can't say I don't agree with him."

"Kensi I'm…"

"Please don't tell me you're good, because I don't believe you," she couldn't hide a hint of worry seeing the dark shadow veil his eyes.

"Hey, I'm here with the most gorgeous woman of the entire world. I'm going to have a night of wild sex with her… why shouldn't I be good?" Deeks joked, holding her closer but her only answer was a light punch to his good shoulder.

"Who told you that? I'm tired today after all the paperwork I had to fill in because my partner is lazing around," her voice became a bit softer, but her eyes were still determined.

"So, no medicine for me today?" he started kissing her on her neck feeling her heartbeat rushing at high speed. "How can I heal without my medicine?"

Kensi moaned when his lips brushed her skin sending pleasured chills down her spine. "Later, Deeks… I need to know first… please, wait," she cupped his face, looking straight at him "Please, tell me that Julio's doubts are unfounded."

He hesitated, attempting to lower his glance. "Kensi… I'll be good, I promise you. I just need some time to process some things, but I need to do it on my own."

"You know I'm here for you," Kensi couldn't forget about all the nightmares that hunted his almost sleepless nights. More than once she had simply held him tightly, helping to get through the memories that invaded his mind taking him back to jail; taking him back to the dark isolation cell she had started to hate so much. Other times she had whispered soothing words into his ears, calming him enough to go back to sleep. It broke her heart seeing him like that, realizing that he was not even able to sleep in the dark anymore. He needed the light of a lamp turned on to calm him down, to relax him. Even when they were lying in bed together, he couldn't even lie down without some source of light or her comforting touch. Kensi knew that Hetty had scheduled for him some appointments with a psychologist to help him and sincerely, she couldn't wait for him to start the therapy.

Deeks flashed one of his infamous smiles, the one that turned her legs into jello. "I know you are and I can't stop thanking you enough because of that, but…" he paused becoming serious "…maybe it's time to stop being a victim here. I hate to feel like that. I hate to feel so lost and confused… I hate not being me anymore."

Kensi guided him towards her and he buried his face in her hair. She made slow circles on his back, massaging him gently. "What you went through was bad. It's normal to feel lost, but you're far from a victim, Deeks. You survived what they put you through and you came out of that stronger. You have only to accept it and I'll be here every day to remind you. Brace yourself because I'm going to stick around for a long time!"

"Mmmm," Deeks muttered biting his lip in amusement. "I love when you talk like this, you sound vaguely dirty."

"Hell Deeks, I'm trying to talk to you seriously. Do you mind stopping what you're doing?" She felt his tongue moving to her neck and she had to fight hard to keep her body under control, but in vain. Pleasuring shivers ran down her back. _Focus Kensi, focus_ she told herself, but her hands found their way through his hair as much as her lips found his.

He pushed her towards the couch, sending Monty away with a gesture of his hand. The dog trotted away and right when Kensi sat down. Her hand touched the envelope, the object Deeks was looking at when she walked through the door.

"What… what's this?" she asked uncaring of the fact that she interrupted what they were doing.

"Later Kens… not now," he whispered, but she turned away when he tried to kiss her.

"What's this, Deeks?" she asked directly, holding the envelope in front of him.

Deeks took a deep breath, closing his eyes, "It's something Julio gave me. Open it."

"Deeks, I… I didn't mean to…" she was embarrassed; she wanted to know what the letter was about, but like this, opening it herself, she felt like an intruder.

"Please go ahead. Read it. I don't have secrets." He encouraged her.

Kensi didn't know but sensed a wave of guilt in his words because of all the secrets she had kept from him in the past, while he was ready to share something that must be very important to him according to the way he was staring at it. She swallowed hard, then taking a deep breath, she opened it. The envelope contained a piece of paper with the Mojave Correction Center trademark on it and few words written down with a steady handwriting.

It said: _We're even Deeks. I helped you to get your revenge and I had mine. I'm not done yet though, but I will be finished soon. I can start hating you again and maybe I can even kill you, but you know, what you did for Eddy calls for respect, so you're safe Deeks. You paid your debt and no one of my men will ever touch you. Enjoy your freedom, you deserved it. I.M._

Kensi couldn't hide her shock, "Is this coming from who I think?"

"Murillo, yeah. I can't believe he really wrote those words," he said, closing his eyes with relief. "I think I have to delete his name from the list of the people who want me dead! Sadly it's still long enough to give me headache."

"Gah, stop humble bragging and come here. Why don't we go back to where we left off?" Kensi didn't want to force Deeks to talk. She was sure that sooner or later he would come to her. It was in his nature, it was the way he was.

"I'd like that, but maybe we can have a more comfy arrangement if we could reach the bed." Nonchalantly, he started kissing her as they walked, without losing touch of each other, towards the bedroom.

"Who's dirty now? I am happy to see that Naughty Marty is finally back. I missed him."

"Oh wait until I'll show what Naughty Marty is capable of… and you won't get rid of me for the rest of your life," he said jokingly, but her reply was serious.

"I don't need Naughty Marty to know that I want to stay with you for the rest of my life. Because if you haven't realized yet, I love you Marty Deeks," she admitted without hesitation.

A wave of happiness engulfed him and for the first time in a long time, he felt like things were really going to get better. For the first time in a long time, he felt truly alive. "I love you too, Kensi Marie Blye."


	22. Chapter 22

Time for another chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to you all, you made my day with your support. And a Special Thanks to Xwing12, you know it! :)

* * *

No Way Out – Chapter 22

Hetty arrived early at the Mission that morning, assured that no one would already be there. It was barely 7.00am and it usually took another hour for the place to get crowded. She didn't expect to find a familiar figure waiting for her. "Good morning, Mr. Deeks, I didn't expect to find you here. You're supposed to be on sick leave."

"I woke up an hour ago and couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd come here and wait for you," Deeks smiled, sweetly, but it was clear that he was a bit nervous ."I wanted to talk to you."

"Has this anything to do with your meeting with Lieutenant Bates?" the diminutive woman asked him while she started making some tea.

"Is there anything you don't know about, Hetty?" he said, barely hiding a little smile.

"I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't know what my agents were doing," she tilted her head in her typical knowing way. "What would you like to talk about, Mr. Deeks?" as the words left her mouth, she noticed the young man's change in attitude. His expression became serious and his eyes darkened.

Deeks had his forearm resting on Hetty's desk and his fingers couldn't stop playing with a piece of paper laid on it, nervously. "I have been thinking a lot lately, well maybe too much, but…," he hesitated, his voice couldn't hide his uncertainty. "I don't know what to do. Maybe it's true when they say that I have no brain," he attempted to make a joke, but he failed miserably.

"I don't think it's a matter of you not having a brain, but mostly that you have too many things running through your brain," the Operations Manager told him, giving him a reassuring glance.

"Yeah, right," Deeks didn't sound very convinced.

"You know you shouldn't beat yourself up. It's a habit you better lose even if you think you're very good at that," Hetty could see the struggle, the confusion, the lost expression in the young man's eyes and she hated it. She hated what those months had done to him, mostly what those men did to him, mining all of his certainties, making him doubt of himself and of everything he was. "And frankly I think your brain is fine the way it is."

"I'll take your word for it," he whispered, smiling bitterly.

"You should. Now back to your dilemma, I reckon that you're here because you need my opinion," Hetty could only be pleased by the fact that he was silently asking for her help.

Deeks chuckled a bit embarrassed, but his eyes were filled with sorrow. "Hetty, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"No, but I don't know whether I can give you a satisfying answer or not," the diminutive woman furrowed his brows studying the man in front of her, for the first time in ages she really didn't know where he was going, his eyes unreadable in spite of all the pain veiling them.

"Why did you want me to become your liaison agent? Why me?" there was a pleading note in the cop's voice, a childish-like inflection that couldn't hide how desperate and confused he was. "I suck at liaising!"

In spite of the seriousness of the question, Hetty couldn't hide an amused smile. "Probably because you're such a lousy liaison that you would make such a good agent," she didn't expect her answer to unsettle him so much.

"And here I thought it was because of my indisputable charming personality," Deeks replied smiling before his expression darkened and became very serious. He seemed lost in another world, hundreds of miles away from here.

"What's on your mind?" the Operations Manager asked. Her voice was full of comprehension and mostly apprehension.

"I would never be a good agent… because I will never be able to become an agent. After everything that's happened, after this whole mess, I… how can I do my job if my face will be so easy to recognize? I would be a liability to the whole team rather than an asset. Maybe it's better for everyone if I go back to LAPD and do, I don't know, street patrol perhaps. At least I would do no harm to anyone doing that," the young man murmured feebly. Putting the lives of the people he cared for in danger, the ones he loved, was the last thing he wanted.

"And do you think that this team would let you go so easily after everything that's happened? Do you think that they won't have anything to say about this matter?"

"It's not their decision to take. It's mine, and mine only," Deeks stated firmly. His blue eyes sparkled with determination.

"Mr. Deeks, I think in the last few months you have forgotten something about this team - About how we work. If one of us has a problem, we all have a problem," Hetty told him firmly before continuing. "I don't care if you can't do any undercover work, for a while at least. I want you on my team not just because you're an excellent cop, but because you're good for the whole team. You're good for Callen and Sam; you're good for Kensi. I would have never asked you to join us if I didn't think that you fitted in here perfectly. All of you have unique qualities that fill one another's gaps and you, Mr. Deeks, have one quality that is hard to find in this world. You have a great heart. This will never change and I'm sure that not even this bad experience will take this away from you, because this is the way you are."

The blond cop was deeply moved by the diminutive woman's words. He never expected such a vote of confidence. "I… I don't know Hetty. I don't know if I am the same man I was nine months ago. I don't know if I will be able to be useful to this team. But on the other hand, going back to LAPD scares the hell out of me because…" he hesitated trying to voice his doubts, his perplexities. "They abandoned me. They believed everything that was said about me without even questioning it. But I am a cop, Hetty. To the heart. It's who I am. How can I give this up?"

"You don't have to choose, Mr. Deeks. You know, you can go on being our liaison in the same way you always did. Bates told you he's ok with that," Hetty furrowed her brows studying the man in front of her that was getting a bit too restless, a clear sign of his agitation and indecision. "And before you can ask, yes, Bates told me everything."

"Of course, why am I not surprised?" Deeks smiled, a real smile this time.

"Because you know me just as well as I know you," she paused studying once again the cop's blue eyes. "You are important to this team. Everyone wants you here, Mr. Deeks."

He stared at her as he didn't believe what the Operations manager was telling him.

"I said, everyone wants you here, Mr. Deeks. No one thinks you don't deserve being here. You must start believing in yourself," she insisted, hoping to get through the wall he was building around himself.

Deeks frowned, reflecting on Hetty's words. Since the moment he had started working with these people, a lot of things had changed. At first he knew he was the outsider. He knew he was the odd man in this well-oiled mechanism. But then slowly, day after day, he felt that the others saw him differently; that they recognized his abilities and they even took time to know him, to let him come into their tight group. He never expected to get Callen's and Sam's trust or Kensi's. But they showed him that they respected him and counted on him. It was something he never experienced in his whole life. It was something new that made him feel good. Feeling himself as a part of something, the sense of belonging these people gave him… well, these were things he could not ignore. This was his family. The only family he wanted to have. "Thank you, Hetty."

The diminutive woman caught a different light in the young man's blue eyes. A sparkle she hadn't seen in ages. "You're more than welcome," she nodded knowingly. "Now, is there anything I can do for you?" looking at him, cunningly.

Deeks couldn't suppress a laugh this time. "Will I ever surprise you?" he wondered playfully.

"You surprised me more than once, Mr. Deeks" she winked, tilting her head to one side "And that hardly ever happens."

He bowed his head hearing that comment, sensing the great esteem this woman had for him. He didn't know what he did to deserve it, but it made him proud. He scratched his head with his good hand, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Now, back to what you wanted to ask me," she gave him her knowing smile, nodding.

He took a deep breath then he finally said "Hetty, I… I have a favor to ask you, well, actually two."

* * *

Sam arrived at the Mission right when his partner was parking his own car, something that happened very often, like they were always on the same page.

"Morning G," the ex-Seal greeted his friend with a big smile on his face. They were getting out of a very bad period, but things were finally starting to get back to normal. They had cleared Deeks' name and the cop was back with them. He was out of jail, even if he was not back on duty yet. He still needed to recover physically, but mostly mentally. Sam couldn't deny the fact that he had missed Deeks. He had missed his jokes, his annoying presence, because the cop was one of them. He was part of their family.

"Hey Sam, I see you woke up in a good mood," Callen replied, grinning. He knew very well why his partner was in such a good mood. The last few months had been tough for all of them. He didn't imagine being so affected by Deeks' ordeal, but this whole story reminded him how difficult their job was and how their lives could change in a blink of an eye. Deeks' life had been turned upside down because of an evil woman who simply wanted revenge towards him. How many enemies did they have that could change their own lives? How many people were there ready to kill them or ruin their existence? This whole mess had probably pushed all of them even closer together, strengthening their bond. The sense of family, of belonging, was even tighter than before. Now they had only to convince Deeks that nothing had changed for them towards him, that they still respected him as much as they did before. Sadly it was easier said than done.

"Oh yes, better than other days," Sam winked while opening the heavy door of the Mission allowing his partner to step inside, "After you…"

"Thank you, Sam."

The two men walked side by side towards their desks and immediately their attention was caught by something happening in Hetty's office.

"Isn't it a bit too early for him to be here? I thought he was still on sick leave," the ex-Seal stated, looking at the relaxed conversation between the Operation Manager and their LAPD Liaison.

"Yes, I thought that too, but I'm more surprised not to see Kensi on his tail though. Since he's come back, those two have been practically inseparable," echoed Callen, frowning. He didn't like when he was not up to date.

Sam didn't add anything, but curiously observed the scene in front of his eyes. "Do you have an idea of what's going on in there? I have a weird feeling about this."

"Good weird or bad weird?" the team leader wondered, turning his attention to his partner.

"Weird as in something is going to happen."

"Yeah, I know," Callen nodded right when he saw Deeks get up and move towards them. His expression was a mix of different emotions that none of the two senior agents was able to decipher.

"Hey Deeks, it's good to see you," Sam greeted the young man smiling openly, offering his hand to shake. "I thought you were not allowed to show up here for at least another month."

The blond cop flashed one of his infamous grins. "Hetty missed too much my charming personality!" he cheekily affirmed.

"Of course, Mr. Deeks," the Operations Manager told him from her office. How she heard what he said was a mystery. "You know I am always looking for interesting and challenging conversation."

Deeks chuckled amused, bowing his head and shaking it with pleasure. "You heard her," he murmured, almost whispering.

"What brings you here Deeks? You ok?" Callen asked him directly, studying his expression. There was something in those blue eyes that still bothered him. Something that was not only related to the cop's obvious tiredness, but something that the team leader could not put a finger on at the moment. This unsettled him.

"Yeah, everything is fine," Deeks answered without too much conviction.

"Oh yes, besides the fact that you still look like crap," Sam told him, narrowing his eyes. "How's the arm?"

"It's getting better. It still hurts like hell, but the doc said I will survive," the smile couldn't hide the obvious pain he was feeling. There was something that the two senior agents had learnt about Deeks in the last few years; the man could whine and make a scene for a simply paper cut, but he could be pretty stubborn when he was really hurting. If he openly admitted to be in pain, it must be pretty bad.

"And what about the rest?" Callen knew he was pushing him a bit, but he couldn't deny that he was worried for his young friend and he wanted to help him.

"The rest is fine," Deeks' eyes became cold as steel as he spoke. His jaw clenched and for a moment it was like talking to a complete different person.

"Oh come on Deeks, there's no need to lie to us. We only want to help you," Sam was moving closer. His hand was almost touching him when the cop retreated from him as he didn't want to be touched. He wanted to keep the big man at a distance. "Deeks…"

"I said I'm fine!" the young man almost snapped, his breathing became a bit more labored "Stop giving me the third degree! I said I'm fine!" his voice was low and grave and froze the other two men where they stood.

"Hey, it's ok man, we're on the same side, take it easy" Callen said trying to calm him down, shocked by the almost violent reaction of the usual laid back man.

"Deeks!" Kensi shouted, rushing towards his friends, clearly in a rush "Where the hell have you been? I woke up and you were nowhere to be found!" she told him, staring straight at him. She noticed the tension in his posture. "You ok?" her eyes crossed Sam's who shook his head, silently telling her that Deeks was far from ok.

As Kensi laid a hand over his chest, the cop relaxed a little and his eyes became sweet and gentle. "Yeah, I'm fine. The boys and I here were just having a little chat," he stated, kissing her on her cheek.

"Morning guys!" Russel showed up, greeting everyone gingerly before sensing the tension filling the air. "Wow, did I miss anything? Darn, I am always late," he tried to ease the situation.

"No, you didn't miss anything," Deeks said without looking at Russel. His eyes were locked on Kensi instead. "I better go now, I have an appointment with the doc to see when I'll be able to start with some PT. I… I will call you later," he told her, giving her a chaste kiss. Before anyone could say something, he was already walking out of the Mission.

"Why do I have the impression he doesn't like me that much?" Frost scratched his head, looking at the rest of the team.

"Don't take it personally, Russel. Just give him some time," Kensi sighed heavily. She knew that something had happened here. Something she was sure she was not going to like. She moved her attention to Sam and Callen "Now you two, do you mind telling me what the hell happened here? And don't tell me nothing, because I don't believe you."

"Kensi, how's Deeks doing?" Sam asked with a low voice that couldn't hide his true concern.

"And don't say he's fine because we don't believe you," Callen added, smiling, teasing her a little.

"He snapped, didn't he?" she took a deep breath, imagining what it probably happened.

"Yeah and it freaked me out!" the ex-Seal stated sitting at his desk, studying intently Kensi's resigned expression.

"I know, it happens to me all the time, it's like I have another person in front of me. For a moment he's not him," her voice cracked a little but she tried to keep talking not to show her little moment of weakness. "The doctor said it's normal, that he still has to adjust to the new life… well to his old life, but what Vika did to him, what that place did to him, is still far from being over. It will take time. He still has nightmares. Sometimes they are so vivid that I can't even wake him up. He has so much repressed anger that he had to release or it will really destroy him…"

"Did he ever… release his anger on you?" Callen asked the question no one wanted to ask, afraid of the answer.

"NO! He would never hurt me. He'd hurt himself rather than do something to me," Kensi told them almost disturbed by their question. "You have to… understand him. He told me things. Things that I truly never wanted to know, but I'm sure that what he told me was just a small part of what he went through in that place. Trust me, it was enough to turn my stomach upside down. For a long time he went on and survived only because of that rage, of that anger. These kind of emotions, especially when they are so strong, so oppressive don't have an off switch. You can't simply forget about them. You can't just turn them off!"

"We understand that Kensi, but… we are just afraid that he might lose himself in that anger. That one day he won't be able to control it," Sam stated, truly meaning what he was saying. "One day you won't be around him to keep him grounded and he might lose it. We didn't lose him because of Vika and of her sick plan. We don't want to lose him because of this."

Kensi's eyes watered, sensing the deep sorrow in her friend's words. "He will make it Sam and he won't lose it. I am sure of it… because he knows that we are all on his side. That no matter how long it will take him, we will be here to wait for him with open arms."

"I couldn't have said it better, Miss Blye," Hetty intervened, appearing from behind them, stealthily as always. "I talked to Mr. Deeks' therapist and he told me exactly the same thing. All he needs is some time to re-adjust. Time to understand that nothing has changed for us towards him; that he's not lost and no matter what happens, he still has our respect and support."

"The fact is that after so long, we would like to have the old Deeks back, because… we kind of miss him. This place was never the same without him, doing his annoying things," Callen looked at Kensi as he wanted to apologize for the last comment. She simply smiled at him, understanding where he was going, well actually she truly appreciated what he wanted to say with his words. "When we had him back, we thought everything was normal again, but sadly it's not exactly like that… and it's like we're missing a part of this family."

The Operations Manager smiled softly, thinking about how far her agents had come; how close they had become; how tight their bond had become. This was something she didn't expect at first, but something that she was truly proud of. Sometimes even from the worst situation something good could come out. "I know Mr. Callen. I know it can be frustrating, but we waited for so long, maybe we can wait a little while longer. Just think it's for the best."

Silence fell into the bullpen as everyone tried to process the events of that morning.

"Now, I think that all of you have something to do," Hetty stated and everyone knew it was an order even if it didn't sound like it. "Miss Blye, a word in my office, please."

Kensi's glance moved from one of her friends to another like she was looking for confirmation that she didn't do anything wrong. Anything that could have gotten her in trouble with her boss.

Hetty smiled, cunningly "Don't worry, Miss Blye, I never bite anyone," she turned on her heels and headed towards her office.

"Guys?" the female agent said almost terrified. "Any help here?"

"Sorry Kens… but we're out of this!" Callen told her unable to suppress a chuckle.

"You heard Hetty, we have a lot of work to do," Russel added, winking at the two senior agents.

"Indeed you have, Mr. Frost and I suggest you to start doing it. I need all of your reports on my desk by the end of the day. No exception," Hetty said in the distance. "Miss Blye, I'm waiting."

Sam laughed out loud as he opened his laptop and immersed himself into his work, "Good luck, Kensi."

"Men…. I can so feel the love!" and with that Kensi sighed heavily and walked towards the Operations Manager's office, still trying to figure out what she wanted to talk about privately. P_lease let it be something good, please let it be something good_, she repeated in her mind. But she could not take away the bad feeling knotting her stomach. What if all of this was about Deeks? What if NCIS decided that he didn't have a place with them anymore. With her heart beating madly in her chest, she took another deep breath and sat in front of Hetty. Waiting nervously.

* * *

He was watching some TV, but his mind was wandering trying to put his thoughts in order. It had been a tough day, but the conversation with Hetty had been useful. Deeks didn't know how, but the diminutive woman always knew how to make him feel better; how to put him in line. It was like she always knew what to tell him and how to tell it to him.

Too bad about his outburst with Callen and Sam. He hated when something like that happened. When he couldn't control his emotions, his anger. His doctor told him it was normal; that keeping it bottled up would be even worse. He needed to try to release it bit by bit, so he wouldn't hurt himself or anyone around him. But it was not easy. He feared that he wouldn't be the same man that he was in the past. There were moments in which he didn't even know who he really was anymore. This bloody mess changed him too much, so deeply that it terrified him. He was scared that he would ruin Kensi's life. She didn't deserve that. He loved her too much to make her suffer. She deserved to be happy, with or without him. But he was going to do everything he could to make her happy, to fill her life with joy. Even if this meant working on himself, harder than he had ever done before.

He had asked Hetty for two favors. First, he asked if she could take care of the financial matters regarding the compensation for Eddy's brother. He wanted to create a trust fund in Eddy's name to help Julio with his study and with his life. It was the least he could do to repay them for the pain he caused them. The second favor was all about Kensi. A smile curved his lips when he thought about it. It was the first step of his plan to give Kensi everything she needed. Everything that she deserved. His eyes cast a furtive glance at the clock on the wall and he couldn't hide a certain amount of nervousness. She would be here soon. What if she didn't like his idea? What if she said no? No, it was impossible… It was Kensi they were talking about. His Kensi, the woman who saved not only his life, but his whole existence. The only woman who was able to keep him sane. The woman who was his whole world.

Deeks picked up the remote of the TV and flipped from channel to channel, unable to concentrate on any of the programs. He finally gave up when the door to his apartment opened and Kensi appeared on the doorstep, clearly mad.

"Kensi, hey… you're back," he greeted her, getting up and noticing immediately that she was not her usual cheerful self. "Kens…?"

She stormed into the room placing herself in front of him. "You… you little… you… can you imagine what it felt for me? I thought that… I was afraid that…" She was so angry, so exasperated, that she couldn't even talk coherently. "Hell Deeks! Don't you dare do anything like that anymore! Damn it… I thought Hetty was going to tell me that she fired you. That NCIS didn't want anything to do with you! She was so serious… so formal! Gah… I'm so mad that I would like to kill you right now!"

"Kensi, why don't you…"

"Shut up, Deeks! Don't you dare talk to me, not for another… for a year at least!" she couldn't contain her anger.

"Aren't you overreacting a little?" Deeks told her with a mellow tone in his voice, knowing full well that she couldn't resist it.

"Don't try to use THAT voice, Deeks, because I don't buy it! I was so scared!" Kensi punched him in his good shoulder making him flinch.

"Hey, that hurts!" he protested unable to hold the sore spot where she hit him with his other arm still trapped in the sling.

"It better hurt!" she was trying to put up a show, but her act was starting to show some cracks, especially seeing him in discomfort.

Deeks was not a man who gave up so easily, so he moved towards her, smiling cunningly. "Kensi…"

"No, don't go all Kensi on me!" she tried to resist his approach. But when he was standing right in front of her, looking at her with his ocean blue eyes that as always could go deep into her soul, it was practically impossible. Her legs turned into a jello and her heart beat madly.

"Kensi," he insisted teasingly, encircling her waist with his arm, his face just a few inches from hers. His lips brushed hers.

"I was worried," Kensi repeated mechanically sensing his warm breath, inhaling his inebriating scent.

"Sorry," he whispered right before his lips captured hers in a long, passionate kiss. When both of them were completely out of breath, they broke apart, but his eyes were still locked on hers while their forehead leaned against each other. "So, what's your answer?"

"For how mad I was, my answer should be a big and definitive no," she replied seriously, without a hint of a smile. "But I simply can't say no to such a nice offer."

"So… is it a 'yes'?" Deeks' face lightened up as he had received the most precious gift ever… well actually this was what happened. He had received a gift.

"Yes, you idiot! Why couldn't you ask it to me directly? Man, when Hetty called me into her office I thought… I thought you were… oh hell Deeks! I thought she was going to give me some horrible news!" Kensi's voice raised, remembering the panic she felt while the Operations Manager was talking to her.

"Oh well, in this case you should be relieved; not mad at me," he winked, cunningly.

"I am relieved, but I can't stop being mad at you… why didn't you ask that directly to me?" Kensi repeated. She was really relieved, but she couldn't hide a hint of disappointment.

"Because if I was going to take you away from your job for a couple of weeks, I'd need Hetty's approval and confirmation. She's your boss," he said without taking his eyes away from her, not even for a single second.

"Technically she's your boss too," she lifted her eyebrows skeptically.

"Technically," he admitted, with a little sad note in his voice.

"Hey, everything ok?" Kensi stared at him, noticing the veil of sorrow matting his eyes.

Deeks hesitated a second too much, worrying her, but then he flashed one big smile. "Of course it's ok. I'm going on vacation with the most gorgeous woman in the whole world. What more can I ask for?" without waiting for a reply, he kissed her again.

"Mmmm I like the sound of that," she moaned while his tongue danced on her neck tickling her, sending pleasuring shivers down her back.

"Prepare yourself for an intensive course of naughtiness from Professor Naughty Marty," he murmured softly while Kensi's hands found their way through his hair.

"That sounds interesting…" she cupped his face, staring straight at him "But first I want you to be honest with me and tell me what's wrong with you. I can understand that going on vacation is nice and all, but I know that there's something more. Come on Deeks, it's me. Tell me…"

Deeks broke apart from her, passing his hand through his hair. He moved towards the couch where he sat heavily. "I… need a change Kensi. Some time away from here, from Los Angeles, from everything that reminds me of what happened. I need to know if I am still the man I was. If, at least, I will be able to be the same man I was, because right now, I truly don't know."

"Deeks, you don't have to…" Kensi sat beside him, trying to interrupt him, but he stopped her immediately.

"Kensi, I am still not sure what I'm going to do with my life. Mostly because I don't know whether I can do my job or not… and I'm not just talking about undercover work," he stared at her with loving eyes, with a sweet expression that melted her heart. The look that he reserved only for her. He caressed her cheek, tenderly. "You're the most precious thing I have ever had in my whole life. I would give my life for you; to keep you safe… to protect you, even if you think that you don't need protection. Working with you, side by side, being in the field with you is what I want more than anything, but I want to be sure that when I'm out there with you, I will be able to have your back. I need to know that I can control my anger or that I won't freak out if I'll find myself in a dark room."

"I know you'll have my back, always. I trust you," she took his hand and kissed it.

"But I don't trust myself, Kens… What if I can't do my job anymore? What if with my behavior, with my uncertainties, I put you, Sam or Callen in danger? I'd rather quit than put your lives at risk. Right here, right now. I'd leave Frost to have your back, if it meant you'd be safe," he almost snapped, clearly frustrated by the situation.

"Look, I like Russel. He's a nice guy and all, but it's you I want to have my back. I want you with me Deeks. You're the only person I trust, you know it," she gently caressed his face, happy to feel his stubble under her fingers, it gave her a sense of normality. Smiling she stroked his hair. "You need a haircut… I can see the charm in a man with long hair, but you still need a haircut, I miss my Shaggy Boy."

Deeks chuckled, bowing his head. "So are you saying that I'm not charming enough for you?" he grinned, positioning his hand behind her neck and guiding her towards him. "I thought you fell in love with me because of my charming personality, not because I was steaming hot."

"I fell in love with you, because you are… you. Annoying, long-winded, childish, whining… loyal, caring… sweet… and hot," her eyes brightened up and she burst out laughing ."Oh wait… I forgot naughty…"

He smirked, amused. Getting even closer, his lips brushing hers teasingly. "Would you like me to show you some of that naughty part of my personality?" Out of nowhere, his expression changed and he became serious, his voice softer, "Thanks," he whispered.

"You don't need to thank me, Deeks. You're stuck with me… you said you'd do anything for me. The same goes for me," Kensi had never been a woman who showed her emotions or her deepest feelings openly. But when she was with him, she was another person. He took out a different part of her and she couldn't deny the fact that she liked it. When she was with Deeks, there was no NCIS agent, no Bad-ass Blye; she could be simply Kensi… a simple woman. A woman in love. Her lips captured his in a passionate kiss. When they broke apart, she told him, "Now, it would be nice to have some private lessons from Professor Naughty Marty… do you think he's available?"

"Oh I think he has some time for you," Deeks took her by the hand and guided her towards his bedroom, grinning. "I think he will be at your disposal for the entire day."

"Mmmm I like the sound of that," she simply told him, letting him take her to his room, closing the door behind them. "I have something in mind for him too…"

* * *

Thanks for reading and sticking around!


	23. Chapter 23

It's time for a new chapter. Again, thanks to you all for sticking around.

And since I can reply privately to you, _fanficlover_, I am sorry you were mad at Callen and Sam. My intention was not to make them selfish, because they wanted to get the old Deeks back not for them, but mostly for him. Thanks for your point of view, I truly appreciate it.

Thanks to Xwing12 for your help. It means a lot to me.

* * *

No Way Out - Chapter 23

As usual, Russel Frost arrived at the Mission at 9.00am o'clock. Since the first day he started working with the team, he never arrived one minute later or one minute earlier. It was his trademark.

"Morning guys," he greeted Sam and Callen who were already in the bullpen deeply immersed in a conversation about either cars or food. He really couldn't say which. He smiled, shaking his head, as he sat at his desk, well, Deeks' desk.

He knew he was only here temporarily and once the LAPD detective was fully recovered, he would go back to San Diego. But he couldn't deny that he enjoyed working with these people and that when he leaves, he will miss them all.

Russel placed his laptop on his desk next to the framed picture of his family, the only personal item Kensi had allowed him to have after she had ordered him, well almost threatened him, not to touch anything. She made it very clear that this would never be his own desk, but that it will always be Deeks'.

"Morning Frost!" Sam waved his hand to greet him.

"Hey Russel," echoed Callen, smiling. "I have a question for you. How can you get along with a man who doesn't allow anyone to eat in his car, even during long hours of surveillance, and who forbids you to use your own car where you can freely have a snack?"

"That's a tough question… but if you don't want to argue with this certain man," Russel chuckled looking at Sam "You can ask to be teamed up with Kensi. She doesn't have any problems eating in her car."

"Well, let's just say that she doesn't have any issue eating. Period," the ex-Seal pointed out.

"Speaking of Kensi," the team leader frowned, looking at Kensi's empty desk. "Any ideas where she is?"

"Well, I have a vague idea but I won't say that out loud, even under torture… because she would kill me if I do," Frost grinned.

Callen rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "One of these days, I need to have a talk with her. I understand her desire to spend time with Deeks, but…" he stopped talking when Hetty approached them gingerly.

"Please Mr. Callen, go ahead. Don't stop on my behalf," the Operations Manager said, amused. "What were you saying about Miss Blye?"

Callen tilted his head. "Hetty, you know what I mean…"

"Don't worry Mr. Callen, I'm sure that when it comes to her work, Miss Blye is nothing more than professional and focused," Hetty stated firmly.

"Oh yes we know that, it's when it comes to Deeks that we're not so sure she is so focused and professional," Sam intervened, smiling.

"Don't worry Mr. Hanna. I have already had an interesting conversation with Miss Blye about this matter and you can rest assured that there won't be any kind of problem," the Operations Manager spoke calmly, but there was a hint of amusement in her expression. "However, you don't need to be concerned about Miss Blye or Mr. Deeks for a little while."

"What do you mean by that, Hetty?" Callen wondered, narrowing his eyes, a bit puzzled.

"I mean that Miss Blye will be on vacation for the next fifteen days so she won't be anything of your concern."

"Vacation? How? We didn't know anything about that…" Sam was still talking when he figured it out, "Oh, Deeks, she's going away with Deeks, isn't she?"

"You figured correctly Mr. Hanna. Mr. Deeks asked me as a personal favor and frankly I couldn't deny him. He needs it and so does Miss Blye." Hetty stared at her men, studying their reaction. She knew that they were all worried about their two other teammates and the news of this vacation had taken them all by surprise.

"Any problem Hetty?" the team leader wondered, frowning as he spoke with a quiet voice in spite of his concern.

The Operations Manager gave him a knowing smile. "Since when has two people going on vacation been a problem?"

"Since these two people are a certain shaggy detective and his partner," Sam affirmed shaking his head, before getting more serious. "Do you think it's safe?"

"Mr. Hanna, I wouldn't allow them to go away if Mr. Deeks' therapist didn't give me his permission," Hetty paused giving her men time to absorb the new information. "Mr. Deeks needs some normality and who, better than Miss Blye to give it to him?"

"I can understand that, Hetty, but you didn't see him yesterday. You didn't see how angry he was simply because I asked him if he was truly fine," Callen objected, remembering the conversation he had with his younger teammate.

"And what calmed him down?" the diminutive woman lifted an eyebrow skeptically.

"Kensi," Russel intervened, smirking. In the brief period of time he had worked with this team, he had learnt that Hetty always did everything on purpose. Nothing was left to chance in her book.

"Indeed, Mr. Frost," she continued. "We all know that Mr. Deeks is far from being the man he was before this bad experience. It will take time for him to get back to his own self. What we know, and what he told us about what happened in that place during those long months is just a drop in the ocean. Sadly there's a lot more to it. We can't even start imagining how it's been for him; what he truly went through; what was going on in his head during those days. I understand that he has some anger issues, but he never directed his anger at any of us. Not to mention against Miss Blye. So, do I think it's safe for them to be away alone? Yes, I do. It will be beneficial for both of them, because whether we like it or not, those two are meant to be together. Being together makes them stronger, both of them. It makes them better."

"This was your plan, since the beginning, wasn't it? I never truly got why you brought Deeks on board, but now…" Sam stated as he was talking to himself, a smile curved his lips.

"I don't know what you're talking about Mr. Hanna. I asked Mr. Deeks to join us because he's a good cop and a good liaison," Hetty said, mockingly.

"I thought we all agreed that he was a lousy liaison," the team leader added, smirking.

The Operations Manager was amused by the comment and she couldn't suppress a chuckle "I think that Mr. Deeks was simply what we needed"

Silence fell upon the bullpen as everyone reflected on her words. It was Sam who spoke first, breaking the awkward moment. "Yes, you're right. We always tease him, but he has made this team better. He never asked us for anything but he always has our backs. Maybe it's time for us to repay him."

"I am sure Mr. Deeks will be glad to hear your opinion, Mr. Hanna," Hetty nodded, pleased that her men had understood her point of view.

"So, where did you send them, Hetty?" Callen wandered curiously, he knew the Operations Manager was behind their last minute trip.

"Somewhere, Mr. Callen. At this point, the destination doesn't matter. Mr. Deeks needed a change of scenery. Forgetting about the last year, healing all those scars won't be easy, but I am sure that with our help and Miss Blye's unconditional support, he will make it," the diminutive woman couldn't hide a note of pride in her voice. She couldn't deny the fact that she admired the LAPD detective. Admired how he managed to survive this ordeal without losing himself completely. She always knew that there was a whole world behind his appearance, his good nature, his smile, his jokes. She was glad he proved her right.

"Yeah, he's stronger than we all give him credit," the ex-Seal stated gravely, passing his hand over his face, as he was lost in his thoughts. "I… I mean, being in jail was already bad enough, especially considering that he was innocent. With Abbott and Limpkin tormenting him and Vika torturing his mind, I really don't know how he managed not to lose his sanity."

"Man, that woman was a real bitch, seriously, she was sick! Planning all of this, showing up at the jail just to… Gah! Really, I don't know how I would have reacted if someone told me that everyone I cared for was dead because of me. I would go crazy for sure!" Russel exclaimed. He didn't know Deeks very well, but he had to admit that he had a certain admiration for the way he got out of this situation.

"You wouldn't be the only one, Frost," Sam remarked, closing his eyes lost in his thoughts.

"That woman was more than sick, Russel. She was a psychopath, but fortunately she's dead now and she won't hurt anyone anymore," Callen replied to Frost's statement but his eyes stopped on his partner's concerned face. "What's eating you, Sam?"

The ex-Seal shook his head. "I still can't get over what Abbott told us that night, G," he took a deep breath trying to control his emotions. "Deeks can be a real pain, whining over a paper cut or a broken nail, but he never begged Abbott to get him out of the isolation cell. He never begged them to stop. I… sometimes I don't understand him. Those men were going to kill him, damn it! They wouldn't have stopped… he knew what he was going to face, but he didn't implore them. It took a lot of courage to do that. Or recklessness."

"Sadly there are things that we learn by ourselves when we are young that get stuck with us for the rest of our life" the team leader intervened. Everyone was not sure whether he was talking about Deeks or himself.

"Yeah, but this doesn't mean that it's fair," Russel sighed, heavily passing his hand through his short hair.

"No, but this is what shapes us and that guides our actions," Callen continued. His eyes were fixed on an undefined spot in front of him. "There's more to Deeks that we always believed…"

"This teaches us not to judge a book by its cover," Hetty told them all, as she wanted to end the conversation. "And speaking of books and covers. Mr. Frost, how do you like this chapter of your life that brought you here to work with us?"

Frost was caught by surprise by the question and looked at Sam and Callen to see whether they had something to do with this or not. When he realized that they were as surprised as he was, he turned his attention to Hetty. Her glare made him uneasy, even if she had her lips curled into a little smile.

"Mr. Frost, I don't think my question needs such a long meditation," she insisted, walking a bit closer to Russel who swallowed hard.

"Am I in trouble?" the agent asked tentatively, once again looking for his teammates' help.

"Of course you're not in trouble, Mr. Frost, I was just asking," the Operations Manager gave him one of her infamous enigmatic smile.

"Oh… ok then. I kind of like being here. Well I don't like being blown up, that's for sure, but we're still here, aren't we?" Russel babbled.

"Oh come on Frost, what's life without a bit of excitement?" Callen grinned, enjoying the clear embarrassment of his newest teammate "You'll have stories to tell your grandchildren at least!"

"Well, I'd like to be able to tell them stories and with you guys around I'm not so sure it will ever happen," Frost protested teasingly but his words mirrored how he felt deep inside.

"So, I take that you don't like working with us?" pressed Hetty, tilting her head to one side.

"No, I have to admit that in spite of the premises, I like it," Russel's voice became a bit steadier. He relaxed a bit, stating just what was in his mind. "I knew from the beginning that it wouldn't be easy getting you to trust me. I was replacing one of yours, your friend. Working with you every day, watching how dedicated you all are, I realized that… I was sure that you'd find a way to help Deeks so I didn't expect much from this experience. I didn't want to expect anything, for my own sake. But when it's time to go back to San Diego, to my old job, to its monotony, which is what I wanted since the beginning, well… I will miss all of this. I will miss you all."

Silence welcomed his words. Both Callen and Sam were speechless for the surprise. They didn't expect Russel to be so understanding and so openly attached to them. "You're not that bad, Frost," the ex-Seal told him, patting him on his shoulder.

The Operations Manager barely hid a big smile that brightened up her whole expression and Callen didn't miss it at all.

"Hetty, are you hiding anything from us?" he wondered.

"Me? You're wounding me, Mr. Callen. Have I ever hidden anything from you?" Once again the enigmatic smirk curved her lips "I am just glad that Mr. Frost thinks this about this place, because due to Mr. Deeks' obvious slow recovery, he will work with us for a little while longer."

A sparkle lightened Russel's hazel eyes "Really?"

"Yes, Mr. Frost. Why do I have to look outside for a temporary replacement when I have one already in front of me?"

Again, Callen saw something in Hetty's eyes, something that told him that there was more behind her words and when she nodded to him, he knew he was right.

The diminutive woman was walking away, headed towards her office, when she stopped abruptly and turned to face his men. "And Mr. Frost, do you think your family would like living in Los Angeles? Because we might need someone with your experience in a boring office job here in Los Angeles in the very near future. Not as exciting as been blown up in the fields, but the company is invaluable…"

It was time for Frost to be left almost speechless. "Hetty, are you offering me a stable job, here in Los Angeles… with your team?" he murmured, swallowing hard.

"Are you interested?" she asked cunningly, knowing already the answer. The light she saw in Russel's eyes was enough of a confirmation.

Both Callen and Sam stood up and complimented the other man, patting him on his shoulders. "Welcome on board, Frost," the team leader offered his hand to shake.

"I… I don't know what to say. I am… well… you are… I mean, I never imagined that I…" Frost took a deep breath as he tried to say something coherently "I always thought that you didn't like me much, because I was not… Deeks,"

"Well, one Deeks is enough" Sam said smiling looking at his partner.

"Yeah, I get it, but he's family to you. A member of your family who has been taken away from you unjustly and I was just someone who was here to take his place," Russel's voice was quiet, with a hint of resignation. Like someone who knew that will never be a part of that family.

Sam burst out laughing, "You know Frost, for a smart guy, you're such an idiot."

"First, you would have never put a foot in this place if Hetty didn't think you're good," Callen started, sending a knowing glance to the Operations Manager who was still observing the exchange between her agents. "Second, of course we were a bit rough on you. After everything that happened to Deeks, finding you here taking his place was not easy to bear for us, especially for Kensi. But you did good. You never wanted to wear shoes that weren't yours. You never tried to convince any one of us that you were better than Deeks or that you deserved to be here more than him. You kept a low profile, helping us in the job… risking your life," he paused, smiling sweetly. "And third, you're still alive. Kensi didn't kill you, even if you were working with her instead of Deeks. This says a lot, my friend…"

Frost blushed, scratching the back of his head clearly embarrassed "I… I simply did what everyone should have done in my place."

"Mr. Frost don't underestimate yourself. You had a delicate task, but you performed it perfectly." Hetty told him with a grateful expression painted on her face. "Now, I warmly advise you to start looking for a house in Los Angeles. Your transfer will become effective once Mr. Deeks will be back to work."

"Wow… that's amazing. I… thank you," Russel was out of words, too happy to say something coherently.

"You're welcome, Mr. Frost, but what do you think if you and your teammates started doing something productive? I see that you all have paperwork to do," the Operations Manager nodded to them then walked away, leaving the three agents alone.

"Wow, I… I can't believe it," the new agent muttered.

"You better start realizing it, Russel, because those files won't disappear magically," Callen shook his head and moved to his desk.

"Hey, do you think that I will finally have my own desk?" Frost asked cunningly.

"One thing at a time, Mr. Frost!" Hetty's voice resounded in the bullpen. Sam and Callen couldn't stop themselves from laughing.

"Does she do that all the time?" Russel wondered a bit terrified.

"Get used to it, Frost…" the ex-Seal grinned unable to stop himself. "…and be prepared."

"Oh heck… well done Russel," the new agent told himself. "Is it too late to refuse the offer?" he said out loud.

The plasma screen behind him took life and Hetty's face showed up with a threatening smile curving her lips, "Too late, Mr. Frost. Too late. Paperwork now,"

"Damn it, Russel, what did you get yourself into?" and without adding anything else he went back to the desk and started doing some work. Smiling satisfied.

* * *

Kensi woke up with the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks in the background. She could hear the seagulls call in the distance and kids playing loudly. She rolled over in bed, extending her arm to the other side, looking for Deeks' familiar figure, but she found it empty. The sheets on his side were crumpled at the foot like someone had fought a battle during the night… probably losing it.

Kensi sat up abruptly, unable to hide her concern. "Deeks!" she called, hoping to keep her emotions under control. "Deeks, are you there?" she repeated, but no one answered her.

Last night had been pretty rough. Deeks had been haunted by a long series of nightmares. He had tossed and turned restlessly, most of the time unable to wake up; trapped somewhere in the deepest meanders of his mind. Kensi had calmed him down, whispering soothing words, gently caressing his hair or massaging his back; taking him away from his demons, but as soon as he fell asleep again, more nightmares came. Other painful images flashed in front of his eyes and once again he was sucked down into the abyss.

It broke her heart watching him struggle, clenching his fist tightly around the sheets, muttering pained pleas, screaming desperately her name and most of the time she was not able to hold the tears that rolled down her cheeks. It was hard for her. She couldn't imagine what had been for him, reliving those nightmares over and over, being brought back to jail and to its horror.

Kensi got up, putting on a discarded T-shirt and checked the whole cottage. Her worry grew even more when she found it completely empty. She opened the door and stepped out onto the porch facing the beach. She finally sighed of relief when, in the distance, she caught sight of Deeks' form sitting on the sand, staring at the ocean. The wind was messing up his blond hair. She could see, even from here, that something was troubling him. She knew him so well not to notice the hunched shoulders, the whole way he was carrying himself. Even the way he was sitting. Kensi bowed her head. She hated so much seeing him like that. There were days in which he was perfectly normal. He was the old Deeks; the Deeks she loved. But there were other times in which he was engulfed by the darkness, his mind lost and it was hard, even for her, to reach him.

She closed her eyes, put on her best smile and slowly started walking towards him.

Deeks didn't register her presence. Not until Kensi knelt behind him, encircling his body with her arms, gently.

"Good morning," she greeted him, kissing his cheek. "The bed was empty without you."

"Morning," he leaned his head against hers, inhaling her beautiful scent. His eyes were locked on the ocean where surfers were catching the perfect waves of the morning. This particular spot on the Costa Rica coast was a slice of heaven for surfers and not. It was simply beautiful and peaceful. Just what he was looking for when he asked Hetty for some time off with Kensi. Once again, the Operations Manager had managed to surprise him with something that he would have never afforded on his own. He would always be grateful to the diminutive woman and not only for this.

"How long have you been here?" she asked finding a more comfortable position beside him. "You should have woken me up."

He passed his good arm around her shoulders, taking her closer and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You needed to sleep. You didn't get much rest last night. Sorry about that."

Kensi didn't leave him time to go on as she planted a kiss on his lips. "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. I am here for you, no matter what…" a tender smile curved her lips as she talked, but sadly she couldn't reach him. "Hey, what's wrong?" she studied him, seeing what his eyes were staring at. "Do you miss it?"

Deeks smiled, but sadness veiled his expression. "It's been a while," he said, closing his eyes and inhaling the salty air deeply. His mind was filled with different emotions. He was trying to process so many thoughts, but it was tough. He was finding hard to talk about it. His therapist told him that he needed to get everything out or he would really go crazy. Easier said than done.

"Hey, soon you'll be riding those waves again. Your arm is getting better and better, day after day. And you're getting stronger. Just give yourself some more time." She brushed his hair that was finally back to his old style - shorter and shaggier. He had cut it before leaving, telling her that it was time to go back to his old life. Now, looking at him, everyone could say that, externally, he was back to his own self, but she knew full well that there was still a lot of work to do before he could truly be the man he was before. She was patient, though, and she was ready to wait for him forever, simply because he was worth the waiting. He was, simply, worthy.

He didn't answer immediately after her words. It was like he wanted to carefully ponder everything he was going to say. He didn't want to make any mistakes. Sighing heavily, he whispered, "I thought I would never see the ocean again; never come to the beach; never feel the sand under my feet, taste the salt of the water again. When the van was taking me there, to prison, I… I tried to fix every detail in my mind. I inhaled the air deeply because I wanted to take it with me. I… I would have paid millions of dollars to be out in the water, just one more time." There was a deep sorrow coming from his words, a sadness that Kensi could almost touch with her hands.

"But you're here now… Sitting on the beach, watching the ocean, with the sun kissing your body," she swallowed at the image forming in her head and instinctively she snuggled against him, touching him as she wanted to let him know that all of what she was telling him was true. It wasn't a dream, but the simple reality "And you're here, with me."

Deeks didn't reply but held her even tighter, like he was afraid she was going somewhere, leaving him. "Yes, I'm with you and I… I keep you awake every night."

Kensi felt him trembling, fighting the anger was still inside him, ready to be released, mostly towards himself. "Hey, it's ok. You don't have to worry about me… I'll be fine." She wriggled from his embrace, cupping his too serious face. Man, she missed his mischievous looks, his smiles, his laid back attitude that was still lacking most of the times. "We'll get through this together. We're together in this, ok?"

His blue eyes matted with unshed tears. "What if I will never be me? What if… what if the man I was will never…."

"Sshhhtt" Kensi silenced him, putting a finger on his lips. "Don't you dare finish the sentence, Marty Deeks!" her voice was quiet, but her tone determined, firm. "I don't give a damn about the sleepless nights, if it helps you to get better."

"But hell Kensi… I hate it! I hate putting you through all of this. I hate seeing the tears on your face. I may be messed up and all, but I'm not blind. I see you crying and God, it hurts. More than the nightmares, more than the sensation of being back in that… in that bloody cell, more than this damn fear of the darkness." Now he was shaking badly. His hand curled into a tight fist clenching the sand that scraped his palm, painfully. But he didn't care about it. "I would like to be able to go to bed and sleep without this dreadful feeling of waking up once again in the darkness, of waking up and finding that all of this is a dream and that I am still there…"

Kensi's heart melted hearing his words and without a second thought, she engulfed him an embrace. "But you're not there anymore. It's over and I'm here… I will be here every moment of the day or the night, to remind you this is real," she broke the embrace and again, she caressed his cheeks. "Do you have a slightest idea of how proud I am of you?"

"Proud?" Deeks wondered confused.

"Yes, proud… because in spite of everything you are still the man I fell in love with. You're still caring, full of compassion… just look at the way you behaved with Julio or the way you put Ross and Morales into their place that day at the precinct. Another man would have lost it completely. Another man would have beat them to pulp… Hell I would have done that myself, but you stopped eventually, because you knew it was the right thing to do; because you would have never lowered to their level. This is what makes you different, what makes you better," she took his hand in hers and guided it towards his chest, to his heart. "This is what makes you the man you were, the man you are… the man you will always be. They may have broken your body, undermined your mind, but your heart is still the same, Deeks… no one will ever take it away from you."

"Wow… since when have you been so profound and so vocal?" he gave her a tentative smile. "Bad-ass Blye can be empathic. That's something I thought I would never see."

As an answer she punched him lightly. "Oh please, go on. Mock me. It means that tonight Naughty Marty will play all alone…" she winked cunningly, glad that her words had reached her goal; that her words had touched him.

"Hey, this is not fair… you're very mean!" he placed his hand behind her neck, massaging it with his fingers, slowly guiding her towards him. Their noses touched, their lips brushed until finally his mouth captured hers.

An electrical discharge flowed through her whole body and she couldn't control herself anymore. Her hands found her way through his hair while his lips moved slowly down her neck. Kensi couldn't suppress a moan while her back arched with pleasure.

"You know…." Deeks murmured, without stopping what he was doing. "There's only one big hole in your speech, in what you just told me," he lifted his head so his eyes were staring straight into hers. "Someone took away my heart…"

Kensi frowned looking at him warily, "Deeks, don't…"

"You, Kensi Blye stole my heart" he smiled, flashing one of his trademark smiles.

She felt her eyes watering because she had never seen anything more beautiful than that smile. It was so sincere, so real… so pure that simply melted her heart.

They cuddled into each other's arms for the rest of the morning, enjoying being together, watching the surfers making their evolutions, admiring the amazing view of the immense blue of the ocean in front of their eyes. In this moment, this was everything they needed.

* * *

A few days later, at night, Deeks was lying awake in bed, observing intently the woman sleeping next to him. He still could not comprehend how lucky he was to have her in his life. How she continued sticking around in spite of all of his issues. It had been a quiet night. The nightmares seemed less horrific than usual and he even managed to get a couple of hours of restful sleep, something that hadn't happened to him in ages.

The lamplight on his bedside table was turned on and the feeble light of the moon filtered through the window. Tentatively, taking a deep breath, Deeks extended his arm and turned the lamp off. At first his heart started beating madly. His breath became ragged and troubled when darkness engulfed the room. He was sure he was going to panic. He was struggling, fighting against himself, not to get to the lamp and turn it on again.

He closed his eyes, shutting them tightly, shaking violently. "Stop, just breathe…. Don't be a baby. Relax," he muttered to himself as he tried to think about what was his happy place. "It's ok… it's ok. Everything is fine," he repeated over and over as images of his happy moments with Kensi flashed in front of his eyes as a long movie, from the first day they met at the MMA gym to the first time they made love, from the moment he saw her for the first time after he escaped from jail to what happened today. Slowly his heartbeat slowed down and his terrified expression turned into a more relaxed grin. The fear was still there, it didn't go away so easily, but his awareness increased. "Everything is fine," he said again, more convincingly this time.

Inhaling deeply, still with a trembling hand, he turned the lamp light on and he sighed in relief. "Better, Deeks. Much better," he said relieved, careful not to wake up Kensi who was still sound asleep.

She was lying partially naked on the right side of the bed, with the sheets covering her to the waist. She was simply beautiful.

Deeks gently kissed her on her bare shoulders and all he got as a response was a hoarse moan "Deeks… you ok?" she wondered, without opening her eyes.

"Yes, don't worry… I just need to get out and take a breath of fresh air," he planted a sweet kiss on her lips before getting up and silently moving to the other room where he opened a desk drawer and picked up a yellow folder lying inside the drawer. Without opening it, he moved outside, sitting in one of the wicker armchairs of the porch.

He didn't need to read it. He knew exactly what was inside. His eyes moved to the ocean and after he laid the folder on the table, he let the sound of waves cradle him. He needed to keep his mind free from dark thoughts or from haunting memories. He needed to be focused, because even if he wanted or not, it was time to decide what to do with his life. It was time to make a decision.

The sound of bare feet grazing the wooden floor reached his ears, taking him away from his thoughts. Kensi moved like a zombie and sat in the armchair next to him.

"You should have woken me up," she slurred still very sleepy. "I don't like to be all alone in bed, you know it."

"Well, I told you where I was going this time," he smirked, tilting his head on his side.

There was a child-like note in his expression, a gentleness that warmed Kensi's heart. "I know, but it doesn't mean that I have to like it."

He chuckled, bowing his head.

"Is everything ok?" she wondered studying his face, tracing mentally every line, every wrinkle of his face. Her eyes landed on the discarded folder on the table. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I… I don't know… I…"

"Deeks, what's that?" Kensi insisted, she was not angry or upset. She knew that Deeks would never keep a secret from her. She only wanted to know that whatever was in that folder was not causing him further problems, further preoccupation.

"It's… it's about my future," he simply said, lowering his gaze, his hand playing nervously with the armchair.

A knot formed in her stomach. She was aware that he was struggling, trying to find a way to decide what was the best for his future, for his life. After all of this mess, Deeks was still debating about leaving LAPD and joining NCIS, becoming an agent or leaving things as they were and remaining a cop. She knew that he valued her opinion, but she never gave one since he never asked for it. She didn't want to influence him because she knew this was something he had to get by himself. He needed to decide on his own and mostly he needed to be sure 100% of his decision, because there was not coming back in this situation.

Kensi couldn't deny the fact that she would prefer him to quit LAPD and become a real agent. She still couldn't get over the way the Police treated him, how they spat on him like he was the worst of the criminals, how no one stood up for him, not for a single moment. When he needed LAPD, LAPD left him alone to face the false accusations, to face his unfair fate. LAPD left him alone to face the whole world that condemned him, even before the sentence was pronounced.

But on the other hand she was aware that Deeks was a cop at heart. Being a cop was more than a job for him. It was something that shaped him. Being a cop was who he was and, in a certain way, she was afraid that he might lose a bit of his identity by quitting. It was a hard decision for her. She couldn't even imagine how tough it was for him.

"So… have you decided?" Kensi asked timidly. She didn't want to sound pushy.

"Yeah, I… I think I have," he told her, quietly. His eyes were still fixed on the ocean but they shone brightly when the pale light of the moon reached them.

"Are you sure?" Kensi extended her arm and her hand touched him. Her thumb made slow circles on the back of his hand, gently. She could see that the sweet gesture calmed him.

"Yes, I am sure."

"No regrets?" She wanted to know about his decision, but she gave him space. He would tell her eventually and obviously she would find out soon once they got back to LA. The only thing she cared for was him. She needed to know that he was ok with his choice.

Deeks held her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it. "No, not at all," he looked at her with his blue eyes filled with love ."Come here," he said, simply.

Kensi got up from the armchair and sat on his lap as he encircled her with his good arm. His wounded one was not in the sling anymore but it was still unable to function properly. Her head rested on his shoulder as her hand made slow circles on his bare chest, brushing the healing scars. "I only want you to be happy," she whispered in such a soft voice that melted his heart.

He stroked her hair, moving aside a lock from her face so he could stare at her eyes. "I am happy… because I am with you," his lips curled into the sweetest of the smiles.

She blushed as her tongue played with her lips, nervously. "I… I know, but that is not what I meant."

"But it's everything that means to me, Kens, because you're everything to me. I… I…" he shivered before going on talking, clearly shaken by what he was going to say. "When Vika told me you were all dead, that you were dead, I… my whole world went to pieces. I thought I was going to die myself…"

"Deeks, no… don't…" she cupped his face, seeing the pain in his eyes. She didn't want him to go back to those moments, knowing that they had hurt him too much.

"It's ok, Kensi. I… I want to talk about it. I need to," his eyes watered a bit, but he fought to hold back the tears. "But you know what hurt me the most? You were dead, because of me and you know what hurt me even more? The fact that I wasn't with you. That I was not able to say goodbye…. It killed me knowing that you died alone, without me. I… I don't want to feel like that anymore. I don't care about my job or where I will do that. All I care about is being with you. Having you in my life is all that matters to me. So answering your question, do I have any regrets or second thoughts about my choice? No, while I am with you, I'll be ok."

Kensi barely held the tears back. The emotions were simply overwhelming. "Deeks, I…" The words didn't come out of her knotted throat, so she kissed him, passionately hoping to show him how much he meant to her as well. He had just opened his heart to her, putting all of his feeling on the plate… she needed to give him something back. To let him feel loved in the same way he made her feel loved.

They broke apart when they were both out of breath. "Wow," he panted. "That was… awesome," he flashed one of smiles that lightened up his whole expression, his eyes sparkling with desire. With love.

"Just wait till I show you something even more awesome," Kensi got up slowly, helping him to his feet. She moved sensually in front of him; her fingers played teasingly on his bare chest, tickling him, sending pleasuring shivers down his back.

Deeks felt a wave of passion, of desire coursing through his body. He simply couldn't resist her anymore. He took her by her waist with both of his arms, uncaring of the pain spreading though his injured limb, lifting her like she weighed nothing and kissing her. He guided her inside towards their bedroom where they made love for hours, until they were too exhausted even to move away from each other. They were so taken by each other that Deeks didn't even realize that they made love over and over in the dark room illuminated only by the pale light of the moon coming through the window. That night there were no fears, no worry…. No pain. Only love.

They lay in each other arms for the rest of the night, enjoying the simply contact of their bare skin, of their naked bodies. They both knew that the road to recovery was still long and tortuous, that the nightmares would come back eventually, that the memories would probably never leave them. But they were aware that whilst they are together, they would make it. Because there was no way out for them… they were bound to be together. No matter what would happen, there was only one thing that truly mattered to them. Love.

* * *

Hetty arrived at the Mission, early as usual, and earlier than anyone else. Once she got to her office, her attention was caught by the envelope lying on her desk. The Costa Rica postmark gave her a clear indication of the sender and an amused smile curved her lips.

She poured herself a cup of tea, then sitting on her chair and taking a deep breath, she opened the envelope. She couldn't deny that she was a bit nervous, but she went on and took out the folder.

Her smile grew even wider when she saw the signature at the bottom of the document. Her body relaxed for the first time in months.

The Operations Manager finished her cup of tea and then got up to put the folder in her archive, when something slipped out of it. It was a simple picture taken on the beach. A simple picture of two smiling people. Two simple words had been written on the back. _Thank you_.

"You're welcome," Hetty said as with satisfied expression she put away the folder in the archive and the picture of smiling Kensi and Deeks in the secret compartment of her drawer "You're more than welcome, Agent Deeks".

The end.

* * *

And so it's done! It's been a long and tortuous journey and I can only thanks whoever decided to give this story a chance in spite of al the darkness and pain. You made my day.

Now I only wish this end is not too cheesy... because I seriously suck at endings!


End file.
